of Sanballat yea to the Prophets themselues vndermining nay reuiling displacing and greeuously afflicting the godly and learned Ministery and so consequently plaguing the Churche with that plague whereby the Priestes may mourne because there is no offering and the people perish euen the young men with the famine of hearing the word of God preached when I say we are subiect to all these we can think of no waye for reconciling the brethren at variaunce and after a moste sure and holy vnion of both their forces for a couragious setting vpon the common aduersarye then the certaine peaceable and reasonable way following Héere our brethren declare who they are whome before they calleâ— Cananits and Foxes not the common aduersary but the brethren at variaunce So that either they meane vs or it must light on themselues if now they vouchsafe vs the name of brethren howe vnbrotherlike haue they dealt with vs to reuile vs by these vile tearmes Cananits foxes As though we were beastly or heathen men and not men and brethren as they are But if we be their brethren though at variance and yet foxes and Cananites what and are they also of the same brood or brotherhood But such is the eagernesse of their zeale that in their heart they regards not what foule tearmes they afforde vs howsoeuer they rebound and so expose themselues and vs their brethren to bee hissed and derided at of the common aduersary to vs both and not to be feared of him But they haue héere deuised a way which they call a certaine peaceable and reasonable way following so to reconcile vs being brethren at variaunce that after a most sure and holy vnion of both our forces wâ— might giue a couragious onset vpon the common aduersary This waye were woorth the hearing and if it be such a way indeed God forbid but that we also as becommeth brethren forgiuing their so late reproches should so much as lieth in vs accept this offer But sée how peaceably and reasonably they beginne the very mention of this way First they complaine againe that at this time they are subiect almoste vnto all the afflictions which can come vnto a Church blessed of God with such a Christian and happy regiment I confesse it may be that in a church of God and in a Church also blessed of God and that with a happy and Christian regiment som few particuler persons vpon some accidents by occasion may bee subiecte to some afflictions But if those afflictions should be general to al that were the godlie learned and faithfull ministers of the Church and that also euen directly for the same Churches christian and happy regiment howe could that church be truly said to be a church blessed of God with a christian and happye regiment But since they graunte and I hope they thinke as they speake and dissemble not that our Church of England is blessed of God with such a Christian and happy regiment not meaning a meane degrée of the Christianity and happinesse thereof it therefore followeth and that of good consequency if our brethren be at this time subiect to afflictions and that all as they pretend for the Churches regimeÌ„t that they are not so godly learned and faithfull ministers as woulde to God they were Yea they plainly bewray in that they impugne the same regiment of the Church of God which both God blesseth as they cannot héere deny and confesse to bee such a christian and happie regiment that vnchristianly and also vnhappily they resiste the same and are themselues the causers of their own afflictions And since they can graunt thus much God graunt they would better aduise themselues and yeelde vnto this so happie and Christian regiment of the Church so blessed of God least they striue too farre against Gods blessings and against their owne consciences and confession Whereas if they would yéeld which haue begunne this vnhappie ciuill warre amongst vs they might not only be partakers of this blessing of God christian happy regiment but it should yet be more happy and Christian-like and both they and wee also more blessed of God For then indeed we that are brethren at variance should be so reconciled that after a most sure and holye vnion of both our forces we should couragiously set vpon the common aduersary which now we being at this variance vniteth all his forces to set vpon vs. But what be the afflictions that our brethren complaine they are subiect vnto yea almost vnto al the afflictions that can come vnto a church blessed of God with such a Christian and happie regiment As to the prophane scoffing of the Hammonits as at a wall which a foxe should destroy to the coÌ„spiracies of the Arabies those of Asâ—hod to the false charges of sedition contempt of all good lawes and proceedings lyke to that of Sanballat yea to the Prophets themselues vndermining nay reuiling displacing and grieuously afflicting the godly learned ministery and so consequently plaguing the church c. Is this our bretherens certain peaceable and reasonable way to reconcile brethren at variaunce and can they thinke of no waie else then thus at the first dashe to call their brethren scoffing Hammonits conspiring Arabies and those of Asshod geuers of false charges like that of Sanballat and to liken them to the false Prophets and to the plaguers of the churche of God This me thinketh is but a sory way to reconcile brethren at variance If not rather such a heap of so spightful reproches as here they cast on vs were the readiest way if we were neuer so much vnited to separate vs and to inflambe the ciuill warre betwene vs especially being so vntrue and so â—aynous slaunders as these are For what worse can they say on the very Papists which they say are both their and our common aduersaries and what other were these Hammonits Arabies for all their dissembling c. â— And iâ— we be such how are we brethren were these brethren to the Iewes or would they reconcile theÌ„selues vnto theÌ„ as our brethren héerâ— say they are now deuising a peaceable reasonable waie that we might vnite our forces with what conscience can they do or go about this if wâ— were such if we be not such with what coÌ„sciences can they burthen vs with so false and gréeuous slaunders or make they it no matter of conscience so they may win credit and pitie with the common people they carâ— not by what shameful infamies so euer so that they make vs odious This dealing is not brother-like nor the way to reconcile brethreÌ„ at variance God be mercifull to vs both lay not this vnto our bretherens charges Can they not procéed on the matter if they haue ought against vs with out such villainous reproches if we should replye in such foule-mouthed language what a hearing were this indéed wee tell them plainely that they build not wel
12. as diuerse giftes named And in the place alreadie citâ—â— and viewed 1. Corin. 12. ver 28. are also eight or nine reckoned of the which two or thrée were not before specified And Ephes. 4. verse 1â— Likewise cited before and perused are foure named or if they distinguish Pastor from Teacher and so make them fiue yet remaine there moe then as manye moe againe as our brethren haue héere reckoned besiâ—â—â— those that are not in these but in other places mentioned But wherto arâ— our brethren or should we néede to be so curious in the enumeration of these diuerse giftes or offices Dooth it any whitte further our brethrens forme of Ecclesiasticall gouernement Or rather dooth it not in manye pointes confute it as by Gods grace we shall afterward sée Or doo they thinke that as there were so manye diuerse giftes or offices that they were all of them or all those persons that were of some one office of like measure in these giftes or of like authoritie in that office or that although they were diuerse giftes or officers one man might not haue diuerse of them all at one time without confusion But those pointes are debated afterward In the meane season all this hetherto prooueth nothing for the building of their platforme But it sheweth muche-how vnconsideratelie they heape vp these things with-out all order put in and put out making perpetuall or temporarie to serue for euer or to serue for a time what soeuer serueth their turne and humor and all to laye a modill of suche building as whereon all this new deuised Tetrarchie might be erected Which thing howe they do let vs sée now their procéeding further Of these offices some were temporall seruing onelye for the firste planting and foundation of the churche among the Heathen some are perpetuall perteining to the nourishinge and buildinge vp of the churche for euer Of the former sort were Apostles Prophets Euangelists men indued with the graces of powers of healings and of diuerse toongs Of the later kinde are Doctors Pastors Gouernors and Deacons The Apostles were ordeined by God and sent foorth immediatlie by Christe hauing a generall commission to spread the Gospell ouer all the worlde which when they had accomplished that office ceased Suche were the twelue Apostles Paule and Barnabas c. And for this cause the Apostles appointed Matthias in the place of Iudas according to the scriptures permitting neuerthelesse the election vnto God by casting of Lottes that the number might be full for the firste planting of the Churche But when Herode had slaine Iames the brother of Iohn with the sworde they chose no man to succeed in his place bicause they had no warrante of Gods worde but the Holie-ghoste as hee sawe it was expedient for the churche afterwarde seperated Paule and Barnabas which liued at Antioche as Prophets and Teachers to the worke whereto he called them The Prophets were such as were indued with a singuler gifte of Reuelation in the interpretation of the scriptures and applying them to the present vse of the churche of whome some also did foreshewe of things to come as Agabus Also there were in euerie citie that prophecied to S. Paule as he passed by them that bonds and afflictions were prepared for him at Ierusalem This office being in the number of them that were ordeined for beautifying the Gospell in the first publishing thereof it ceased with that singuler and extraordinarie gift to be an ordinarie function of the church The Euangelists were such as were stirred vp of GOD to assist the Apostles in their ministerie of generall charge in planting the same by their preaching but inferior in dignitie to the Apostles Such was Phillip that first preached the Gospell in Samaria whither Peter and Iohn were sent by the Apostles to conferre vnto them by praier and imposition of hands the visible graces of the Holie-ghost which Philip did not The same Philip in Acts. 21. verse 8. is called an Euangelist So was Timothie 2. Timoth. 4.5 such was Titus Silas and manie other This office also with the order of the Apostles is expired and hath no place Likewise as we doo plainelie see that the gifts of healing of powers or miracles and of diuerse toongs haue long since ceased to be in the church so the offices of them which were grounded vpon these gifts must also cease and be determined Therefore the Papists doo vainelie reteine the name and office of exorcists when they cannot cast out diuels and extreame vnction when they cannot cure diseases to speake with strange toongs which they haue not by inspiration and that without anie interpretation which S. Paule expresselie forbiddeth It is requisite and draweth néerer to the purpose to know what was temporall in these giftes and what perpetuall what is ceased expired determined and hath no place and what remaineth for feare we should offend either waie vrging that to be temporall which is perpetuall or that to be perpetuall which was but temporall For the error of this breedeth most of all these troubles betweene vs. Wherein our bretheren doo bothe wayes greatlie mistake these giftes For first where they saye Some were temporall seruing onelie for the first planting and foundation of the churche among the Heathen and of this former sorte they reckon vp the Apostles Prophets Euangelists men indued with graces of powers of healings and so they enter into their particuler prooues of the ceasing of these functions I thinke they maye better be-thinke them-selues that all these giftes and offices which their selues haue héere named did not so cease but that they haue since the firste planting and foundation of the churche among the Heathen continued longer time among the Christians Yea some of them haue for a great part of the time continued euen till our owne times yet continue As the operation of great workes Or if they meane thereby myracles which were not ordinarie no not in that extraordinarie time and as the hypocrites had them also so might and had diuerse of the Papists and yet their cause neuer the better And the like may we say of the gift of speaking with toongs which haue not béene by studie before learned as Anthonie c and diuerse also both of the ancient fathers and some among the Papists and some among vs haue not béene destitute of the gift of prophesie and much more may I say this for the gift of healing for none of these giftes or graces giuen then or since or yet to men inferre the gift grace of Gods election adoption or be of necessitie to saluation But were there no other gifts and offices then in the primitiue church but these six by our brethren heere reckoned besides the foure which they make standerds and remainers Looke on the places before cited and there we shall finde a great many moe of which the most part haue euer béene and yet
of God by the armour of righteousnesse on the right hande and on the left by honour and dishonour by euill report and good report as deceauers and yet true as vnknowen and yet knowen as dying and yet behold we liue as chastened and yet not killed as sorowing and yet alwayes reioysing as poore and yet â—aking many riche as hauing nothing and yet possessing all thinges The state of the primitiue Church striuing thus against all these temptations and calamities but by the grace and power of God surmounting them in this respect was in more blessed state then when afterwarde enioying peace and prosperitie and abusing the same contentions and other corruptions arose thereuppon in which respect the state was not so blessed Is therefore persecution and al these troubles better for the regiment of the Church of God then peace prosperitie Yea was not that regiment that the Church had then abused also in those that had the gift of tongues the gift of healing the gift of prophecieng Which gifts not only many among the Corinthians did abuse but also there were maniâ— false Apostles many â—uill Pastors many Teachers of false doctrine some Deacons not all the best And no doubt their Segniories were as much corrupted as the residue if they had anie suche standing officers amonge them as these Discourses doe conceaue and as wherein they saye the Churches regimeÌ„t most consisted with the Pastors Teachers the Deacons So that the Churche of God no not at the time no not in that regiment that she was gouerned by was then so perfect in al her regiment nor in most blessed estate for all that the Apostles were then liuing and for all the extraordinarie giftes and offices that then she had And may we thinke if there had bin such Gouernours among them at that time that eyther they if they had not theÌ„selues béene infected would not haue reformed so manie foule abuses Or did not their authoritie stretch so farre Or would not the residue be rather ruled by such gouernors among themselues then to trouble and endanger themselues being Christians before Infidell Iudges Or if they had had any such gouernors among them would not S. Paul chiding theÌ„ for going to lawe before infidell Iudges not rather haue exhorted yea charged them to haue referreâ— those matters to the Segniorie Gouernors the he had appointed ouer thée If he had appointed any hauing builded so great and famous a Churche of God among them continuing at Corinthus a yeare and a halfe togither or to those that they had chosen among themselues to be their Gouernours if that were the onelie order of the Churches regiment then and of such importance and necessitie Or how chance Saint Paule finding these inconueniences in his absence from them to haue fallen out perhaps bicause there wanted such Gouernours among them dooth not will them among so many precepts perteyning to the regiment of the churche in one place or an other of both his Epistles to chose and ordeine such Gouernours ouer them Or mencioning Gouernours and other giftes and offices 1. Cor. 12. Would not say these Gouernours are those Seniors that either ye haue to direct these matters by or at least if yée haue them not ye ought to haue them But as though they neither had anie suche nor vrging them to haue any such Consistorie of Gouernours ouer them speaking of their hauing busines one against another he saith vnto them 1. Cor. 6. Doo ye not know that the Saints shall iudge the world If the world then shall- be iudged by you are ye vnworthie to iudge the smallest matters Know ye not that we shall iudge the Angels How much more things that perteine to this life If then ye haue iudgement of things pertaining to this life set vp them which are least esteemed in the churche I speake it to your shame Is it so that there is not a wiseman among you no not one that can iudge betweene his bretheren By which wordes it appeareth that not onelie in those matters whatsoeuer they were but that also in other matters perteining to the regiment of the churche being matters perteining to this life they had no such Consistories of Iudges or Gouernours among them Nor S. Paule enforceth any such vpon them but onelie to haue some one or other wise and godlie man to be chosen among themselues and that also without any preiudice to the authoritie of the gouernement then established to bee their Gouernour For they being without a Christian Prince to be their Gouernour and being at that time also giuen to such corruptions and contentions either they must go before Infidels or bréed a confusion among themselues So necessarie at all times is it to haue a Gouernour that euen the primitiue Churche could not be without hir Gouernours And yet neither the thing that S. Paule persuades them to being one of the greatest Christian churches in those daies was to set vp a Consistorie among them but some one Gouernour Neither the matter that he diswades them from is anye other thing more then for bringing their brethren and causes before Infidell Iudges So that this is not to be stretched beyond the state of the Corinthians then nor any rule prescribed to any particular churche of GOD now liuing vnder a prince or Iudge that is a Christian That anye churche may otherwise then by waye of priuate arbitrement as charitable neighborlie and blessed peace makers take authoritie to elect or ordeine hereby among themselues any one or other publike Iudge or Gouernour and much lesse elect among them-selues and set vp a Segniorie or Consistorie of Gouernours in matters perteining to this life as are all indifferent matters perteining to the Ecclesiasticall regiment of the Churche but that when any controuersie ariseth about them in the churche if they be not alreadie prescribed in Gods word we must all after all our deliberations on them bring them to the finall determination and disposition of the godlie christian Princes iudgement and censure how they shall be vsed of the subiects And thus maye we kéepe anye other good order of Iudges and iudgements euen as well in ecclesiasticall as ciuill controuersies according to the gouernement alreadie established with out any more néedâ— of reuiuing those consistories whatsoeuer that were then in any christian churche vsed than of reuiuing this constitution of S. Paule for Iudges For although S. Paule gaue such a prescription of Iudges to them in the wante of other Christian Gouernours yet we that haue now Christian Princes and Christian Iudges and I hope godlie and righteous Iudges also are not bound to chose Iudges in our owne Parishes If we could indéed take vp manie néedlesse controuersies among our selues at home it were well doone and would saue much trauell veration and expenses and perhaps the Iudges might be eased to But if we should therevpon make a rule and say that we must néeds haue
Iudges at home in our seuerall Congregations bicause S. Paule prescribed the Corinthians so to haue and that all such publike Iudges to serue a whole realme or countrie were not lawfull or were néedlesse bicause in the Primitiue Church they had no suche publike Christian Iudges for a whole realme or countrie might not this growe to the manifest iniurie not onelie of th◠Iudges but of all the whole common-weale Yea might not the Christian Prince feare that by the same rule if it were true that ye saye there was no Christian Prince then when the Churche was perfect in all her regiment he might be driuen cleane out of his ciuill regiment too and out of all not supreame onelie but anye authoritie at all among the Christians and cleane dispossessed of his kingdome except he would content himselfe to be a Iudge chosen in one particuler citie So that neither inheritance nor a whole Realme or Realmes to bee ruled by anye one christian Prince could hold any plea if such rules might be coined on such examples And then forsoothe the churche of GOD as before there was anye christian Prince so after they are all thrust out or reduced to that state that they were in might be saide to be perfect in all hir regiment once againe And that the Churche of God may stande and dooth stande in moste blessed state where the ciuill Magistrates are not the greatest fauourers nor beare the greatest rule but all is brought againe to the estate it was in before in the Apostles time Doo ye not sée what a most blessed estate the churche of God would come vnto by this rule And I pray you bretheren what warrant haue you more or so muche for the prescription of your Seniorie in euerie congregation as is héere prescribed by S. Paule for the choosing of this Iudge or ruler among the perticuler congregations of the christians We must take héed therfore how we stand on such examples or how we enlarge any rule that was particuler to the time or state then or to the place or persons there to be-come an ordinarie generall absolute or perpetuall rule to vs and to the whole Churche whether it be by S. Paule or by S. Peter or by any or by all the Apostles or by our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christe him-selfe practised yea or commanded For diuerse examples and commandements were but for certeine times states places and stretch no further As the Disciples to carrie neither golde nor siluer nor money nor scrippe nor two coates nor shooes nor staffe Matth. 10. To abstaine from things offered to Idols and from bloud and from that that is strangled Acts. 15. And that men should praye bare headed c. 1. Cor. 11. And albeit that in the commandements and rules prescribed of these things and of the like neither Christe nor his Apostles tell that they were to continue but for a time yet leueling the same by the analogie of our faithe and by the proportion of our Christian libertie we find no such necessitie in these thinges nor of any other such like orders as in the regiment of the Primitiue churche was vsed For though they were vsed as orders or as ornanaments to beautifie the blessed estate of the Churches regiment then yet neither the blessednes nor the estate therof consisted in them when they had them And if any church that now flourisheth haue any of them it is neuer the more blessed for them as of anye necessitie to the estate thereof And if any haue them not and haue other good orders of regiment established among them it is neuer the lesse blessed of God for the not hauing of them If they haue what is necessarie that sufficeth Prooue either this Seniorie to be necessarie for vs imagining there had béene any such or els all this most blessed estate resolues to nothing But neither of these is yet prooued nor I feare mee euer will bee that there were any such Gouernours at all or that we are bound in euerie particuler congregation to obeye or to haue suche a Segniorie But we are bound to haue and to obeye in all lawfull ordinances our Princes and Magistrates especiallie being Christians and fauourers and fosterers of the Churche of God defenders of the faithe setters foorth and professors of the Gospell Where suche Princes are as wee muste néedes confesse we haue except we be too vnthankefull there indéed the Churche of GOD may stand and standeth at this day in farre more blessed state with-out this Segniorie then where this Segniorie standeth and the Ciuill Magistrates are not the greatest fauourers or to speake plaine English are no fauourers at all but haters and persecuters of the Gospell And thus wee sée how weake and vntrue both these propositions of these reasons are by the which as a notable great reason in the end scars◠woorth a little currane these our Learned Discoursers auouched that it might be to euerie man so plaine that it was neither needfull nor agreeable to good order of teaching to begin first to treate of the supreame authoritie of Christian princes in ecclesiasticall causes Now a◠we thus haue séene the valor and truthe of these two propositions whereon their reason is made so let vs sée their conclusion of this reason Their conclusion is this By which it is manifest that the regiment and gouernment thereof dependeth not vpon the authoritie of princes but vpon the ordinance of God who hath most mercifullie and wiselie so established the same that as with the comfortable aide of christian Magistrats it may singulerlie flourish and prosper so without it it may continue and against the aduersaries thereof preuaile For the churche craueth helpe and defence of Christian princes to continue and go forward more peaceablie and profitablie to the setting vp of the kingdome of Christe but all her authoritie she receaueth immediatlie of God Is this then the conclusion of their reason What is this to the present question Or how hangeth this vpon the premisses Maye not th◠princes supreame authoritie in ecclesiasticall causes be first treated vpon except this must streight be concluded on it by which it is manifest that the regiment and gouernment of the churche dependeth not vpon the authoritie of princes but vpon the ordinance of God Wherefore is this so farre fetched conclusion brought in héere Before you sai◠it seemeth not yet telling to whome but now it seemeth that it seemeth so to you and that for a manifest and plaine conclusion that if the princes supreame authoritie be first spoken of then all the churches regiment dependeth on it But I cannot tell how it seemeth to you to be a manifest and plaine consequence I promise you it séemeth not so to me Nor I thinke to any man that will way the reason with any reason And yet you threape such kindnesse on vs that are God be thanked reasonable creatures also that it now goeth beyond it
colleague with Paule whome wee neuer read to haue exercised the office of teaching Yea who alwaies him-selfe holding his peace yeelded the partes of speaking to Paule I answere he had manie occasions inowe of speaking offered him in Paules absence that there was businesse inough for them bothe for one could not be alwaies present in all places There is no doubt but that hee faithfullie went about the parts that God commaunded nor was a dombe looker on Neither is there any cause that we should maruell whie the Sermons that he made are not in plaine wordes expressed of Luke sithe that hee scarse reciteth the thousand Sermon of those that Paule made Thus saithe Caluine Whereby it appeareth that as Paules Doctorship and Apostleship was all one bothe before and after the difference being onelie this commission of dooing the same thing in common to the Gentiles the which also was foretold before bothe to Ananias that baptised him and to himselfe in his traunce at Ierusalem as he declared after in his Sermon Act. 22.21 But héere it was enioyned vnto him And being a Doctor before he was héere made the Doctor of the Gentiles euen so his manner of teaching and executing this doctors office was euer one and the same manner that is to saye euer ioining exhortation admonition consolation rebukeing or some kinde or other application to his doctrine And this appeareth euen in the selfe-same 13. chapter verse 14. c. But when saithe Luke they departed from Perga they came to Antiochia of Pisidia and went into the Synagog on the Sabaoth daye and sate downe and after the Lecture of the Lawe and of the Prophets the rulers of the Synagog sent vnto them saying yee men and Bretheren if yee haue anye worde of exhortation for the people saye on Heere saithe Caluine is no mention made of praiers which notwithstanding it is certeine were not omitted nor neglected But bicause Lukes purpose was to rehearse the Sermon that Paule made there it is no maruell if hee onelie mention those things that apperteine to the order of teaching But this is a notable place out of which wee learne what was the manner of treating on doctrine among the Iewes in that age The firste place was giuen to the lawe and the Prophets For it was not lawefull to propound any thing vnto the Churche which was not drawne out of that founteine Heerevpon also we gather that the Scripture was not suppressed among a few but all were indifferentlie admitted to the reading thereof After this they that excelled in the grace of teaching and exhorting had the second partes as interpreters of the Scripture that was read Notwithstanding last of all Luke dooth shewe that all were not permitted to speake least of that licence confusion should spring But the office of exhorting was committed vnto certeine men whome he calleth the princes of the Synagog or the Maisters Paule therefore and Barnabas doo not by and by shooue themselues foorth to speake least they should disturbe with too muche haste the accustomed order but they modestlie expect vntill leaue bee giuen them for to speake and that by the permission of those vnto whome the authoritie thereof by publike consent belonged Wee knowe howe corrupte the state of that people at that time was and Luke at length in the end of the chapter will declare how these Antiochians in refusing the grace of Christe were more then proud froward And yet notwithstanding this goodnesse remained among them that their assemblies were ordered comelie and honestlie c. Which saying of his is woorthie to bee the more considered for that diuerse of these our Bretheren doo make an argument of proportion for the offices and orders of the Churche vnder Christe correspondent to the offices and orders of the Iewes Synagogs vnder Moises That for their sacrificing Priests wee haue Pastors for their Leuites Doctors of the Lawe we haue teachers doctors of the Gospell for theyr rulers of the Synagogs wee haue Gouernours for their Leuiticall lookers to the treasurie wee haue Deacons for theyr presbyterie wee haue Elders c Which enumeration and proportion though it be very disordered and confused and the argument thereon more weake and faultie yet to make the best of it that mought bee it appeareth if wee goe no further then this place that these Iewes obseruing their ordinarie custome were not acquainted with suche a kinde of Doctors as vsed no applying nor exhorting in their teaching but suche as styll ioyned these togither For what did they else meane in this demaunde If yee haue anye worde of exhortation But that they tooke it to bee the office of a Teacher to vse to the people the worde of exhortation with the worde of Doctrine But perhaps they did this of ignorance of their owne orders and had not béene acquainted with suche Doctors But what-so-euer they thought or conceaued or demanded aright or amisse héerein let vs sée as we began Caluins iudgement Dooth hee mislike it No This speeche saithe hee dooth betoken that whatsoeuer grace is in men to edifie the Churche it is as it were pawned vnto them Although the particle in if there bee in you anye worde of consolation according to the Hebrewe phrase maye bee superfluous and therefore I vrge not stiffelye that matter Because the sense maye bee plaine if you haue anye exhortation that is apte and profitable to the people howbeit exhortation excludes not Doctrine But this name seemeth to come of the common vse that was receaued among them For properlie the office of a Doctor is not to bring foorth anye newe thing of his owne sense but the Scripture wherein all the wisedome of the godlie is comprehended and to make it fitte vnto the presente vse of the people By this meanes they do not so muche teache as they applie the doctrine taken from another matter vnto the edification of the Churche Which I suppose to be noted by the worde exhorting What can be spoken of the office of a Doctor more plaine then this And howe plaine withall this iudgement of Caluine bothe for the Doctors of the Iewes and the Doctors of the Christians is cleane contrarie to these Discoursers distinguishing and limitting of a Doctors office from a Pastors by exhorting and applying I referre me not onelie to anye Doctors but to any godlie Christian readers iudgement be he neuer so simple yea almost be he neuer so much affectionate And with-all let the Reader marke the Geneua note héereâ—n This declareth the Scripture is giuen to teache and exhorte vs and that they refused none that had giftes to set foorth Gods glorie and to edifie his people Belike then they regarded not the nice distinguishing of the persons office but onelie respected these ends in him Gods glorie and their edifiyng To which endes they required not bare teaching but teaching and exhorting wherevnto they thought the Scripture to be giuen them But whatsoeuer they
Ministerie especialy as they were thē in practise may be imploied otherwise both for the attendance on the Pastors in the Ministerie of the word and Sacraments and also to prepare themselues to become fit Pastors afterwards whereupon now and then as necessitie or occasion hath serued and they found to be méete thereto the Ministerie also of the word and Sacraments hath béene permitted vnto them in the auncient yea in the Primitiue Church and at the very time of their institution or immediatly after as appéereth both by Stephen and Philip by whome we may iudge the like of all the residue for Stephen so soone as euer he was chosen Deacon was set vpon with diuers aduersaries in matter of doctrine who disputed with Stephen but they were not able to resist the wisedome and the spirite by the which he spake Actes 6.10 Whereupon saith Gualter Et quamuis de publicis concionibus c. And although nothing be spoken of his publike Sermons notwithstanding it is euident by the context of the hystorie that he had these both often and effectuall and very serious Wherefore by the way and as it were by digression we may heere see that the Deacons of the Primitiue Church were not altogether estraunged from the ministerie of the word but although they were chiefelie occupied about the dispensation of the Churches goodes neuerthelesse they imployed their labour also so farre as they might in the other ministeries of the Church that by this meanes according to the sentence of S. Paule they might get vnto themselues a good degree 1. Tim. 3. what a notable Sermon he made and what a rare and singular gift of the spirit of God in his preaching he had the 7. Chapter at large witnesseth Aretius vpon the 3. verse of the properties that Peter required in these Deacons saith Fourthly he returneth againe to the vertues to wit such as are meete for them to haue Full of the holy Ghost That they should haue certayne most sure notes of the holy Ghost such as at that time were to speake with tongs that they had not learned to worke miracles in the name of Christ to teach boldly in this teaching to ouercome the enemies and such like Also Full of wisedome that is that they be prouident and warie least they cast pearles to any dogs or swine but teach them that are to be taught but chiefely prudence was necessary for the Ecclesiasticall dispensation whereunto they are to be called And on the 5. verse of Stephens disputation with his aduersaries which saith he was of the Christian doctrine he saith Stephen no doubt did execute faithfully and constantly the office of a Deacon no lesse then Lawrence did afterward vnder Sextus and Vincentius vnder Valerius who bestowed the treasures of the Church vpon the poore But vnto these do come new vertues first he is full of faith that is of feruencie in teaching that faith c. The like we reade in the eight Chapter following of Philip one of the same companie of Deacons whome Aretius calleth the Doctor of the Samaritanes secondly sayth he heereunto perteineth a singuler example of Philip who happily instructed the Samaritanes First heere may be considered who that Philip was for there haue beene that haue thought him to be the Apostle but two strong arguments are against them in the context first that the Apostles were not dispearsed but aboade at Ierusalem but Philip was among those that were dispearsed therefore it was not Philip the Apostle Moreouer the Apostles onely could giue the holy Ghost but Philip could not do it And heereupon Iohn Peter are sent to the Samaritanes wherefore it can not be Philip the Apostle it is therefore the Deacon of whome we spake before Chap. 6. And Gualter affirming also the same addeth further First he teacheth whose ministery God vsed in conuerting Samaria it was that Philip not he that was the Apostle but he that before was reckoned vp among the Deacons as the auncient writers of the Church do testify with one consent chiefely Epiphanius writing of Simon and of the Simoniacks for although the parts of the Deacons were to beare the care of the common goodes of the Church and of the poore notwithstanding it was withall permitted vnto them to take on them the preaching of the Gospell if at any time necessity so required the which we haue hitherto seene in Stephens example And perhaps there was not so great vse of Deacons at Ierusalem when the Church was dispersed with the tempest of persecution and therefore they which before dispensed the publike goods of the Church gaue themselues wholy to the ministery of the word Yea and Paule admonished afterward that the Deacons by ministring well should get vnto themselues a degree vnto a greater function 1. Tim. 3. And as the ministration of the Sacraments followeth the preaching of the word so Philip baptized those whome he had by his preaching conuerted Neither is it noted that they did these things by reason of any other office annexed vnto them but as Gualter noteth verie well that in generally as they had gifts competent and occasion conuenient it was not impertinent to their office of Deaconship so to imploy themselues Whereupon also the Magdeburgenses note Centuria 1. lib. 2. cap. 7. pag. 508. saying Other were Deacons The office of these was to minister to the Table at Ierusalem so long as the community of goods was there Acts. 6. but neuerthelesse that they also taught and shewed foorth signes appeareth out of Stephen Actes 6. and Philip Actes 8.21 and euery where in other Churches it was the office of the Deacons to teach and to minister And the same Magdeburgenses in the title Deratione acforma gubernationis pag. 510. do say These were the works in common of the Apostles and Prophetes Pastors Doctors Priestes Deacons They taught the Church purely and sincerely concerning euery of the head points of the christian doctrine c. and that Deacons also taught appeareth out of the 6. and 8. of the Actes they interpreted the holy Scriptures c. they deliuered the Catechisme c. they did cut the word of truth rightly into the Law and the Gospell c. they vsed the forme of sound words in teaching c. they vsed also in teaching a simple kind of speech c. they studied to keepe the puritie of doctrine c. they opposed themselues sharply against false teachers and Hereticks and confuted their false opinions For Stephen Act. 6. confuted them that were in the synagog of the Libertines c. they preached repentance that is they reproued and blamed sinners for the Apostles Act. 2.3 and 4. did openly obiect vnto the Iewes this sinne and for the same reproue them that they had killed Iesus of Nazareth the iust and holy one the sonne of God and the Messias and Stephen Actes 7. calleth them murtherers and betrayers of
a blinde malicious zeale against her authoritie which if her Maiestie would giue ouer manie of them would perhaps giue ouer their malice also and acknowledge her their Soueraigne Ladie as they did Queene Marie her Maiesties sister yet this thing which these our brethren though with as good meaning I dare say for them and with as louing hearts as Bethsabee bare to her sonne Salomon both thinke and wish vnto her Maiestie as to their owne selues but whaâ—soeuer they thinke wish or meane neuer so well like louing subiectes not onely her Maiestie In whom God be praysed the wisedome as it were of Salomon shineth but almost euerie man not affectioned that way may sée that her Maiestie to these her children as Salomon to his mother may reply and say Whie do you aske this thing Aske if not the kingdome and all yet euen the best and chiefest part duetie and authoritie of the kingdome And that these desires of our brethren doe so néerely touch her Maiestie and euerie Christian Princes gouernment established and supreame authoritie I referre my selfe to this learned discourse where it shall God willing most plainely appeare what is taken away and what is left to all Christian Princes so to her Maiestie in this gouernement Nowe vpon this satisfaction as our brethren conceaue to this last obiection they conclude this preface saying And if this so safe and reasonable an offer can not be liked in respect of the last obiected consideration we thinke it impossible but the persons which desire a way so sound peaceable dutifull shall recouer this fauour that with safety of their consciences they shal exercise their ministerie with that libertie which is meete for those who shal-be tyed in all things to haue especiall regarde to the peace of the Church and publike orders Wherefore most Christian reader when thou shalt by these fewe take knowledge of these things Pray vnto God for vs and as thy place is sollicite and furder so iust a cause to this ende only that Christs kingdome may be perfectly established the consciences of all the godly quieted and the happy regiment of her Maiestie honoured with much ioy peace and quietnesse at home What safe reasonable offer haue our brethren here made or what answer haue they giuen or what meanes haue they deuised besides the otheâ— obiections to satisfie eueÌ„ but the last obiected coÌ„sideration doth not the obiection stand stil that it shal be preiudicial to the estate of gouernmeÌ„â— established wheÌ„ their desires principally are that not only the authority of the Bishops the most part of al the Lawes orders eccl established but also al the acts of Parliament ther-on yea her Maiesties own authoritie principall part thereof concerning eccl matters must be reuersed cancelled abrogated dissolued and a new authoritie in al these thinges set vp Who may not sée except he will blindfold himselfe with too mucâ— affection that this is and cannot otherwise be but to the preiudice of the estate of gouernement that alreadie is established As for the Bishoppes acceptation of any offer by our brethren that to her Ma. their Honors shal be thought safe and reasonable I dare vndertake it they shall at all times be most readie to accept the same so that our brethren would for euer hereafter stande to the finall determination of the tryall As for the offer that here they make is neither safe nor reasonable nor satisfieth the consideration of the last obiection And therefore except better prouiso be had for the safegard of the Princes supreame authoritie it can not as I take it well be liked But if this offer can-not be liked then say our brethren we thinke it impossible but the persons which desire a way so sound peaceable and dutifull shall recouer this fauour that with safetie of their consciences they shall exercise their ministerie with that libertie c. As I said before so I say againe this way which our brethreÌ„ haue here set downe is neither sound peaceable nor dutiful It is so vnsound that as we haue séene for many partes thereof their verie words haue so vncertain a sound that we can not sound out the sense therof And how can the same be peaceable except there were such moderators and determinors as might with full authoritie decide and determine all the controuersies For if all should take vpon them to fall a prophecying when they should fal rather to disputing all the hearers actors in the controuerâ—â—es should as in prophecieng take vpon theÌ„ to be the iudges how would not this in these controuersies bréed greater contentions confusions theÌ„ euer S. Paul reprehended among the Corinthians Neither is it dutifull when they cal into these questions euen the Princes chief authority Besides the intemperate spéeches against their brethreÌ„ which we haue heard euen at their very first motion of this conference And now since that this way as is here set down is so vnsouÌ„d so vnpeaceable so vndutiful do our brethreÌ„ thinke it is impossible but that the persons that desire this way make al these troubles shal recouer this fauor which they haue lost that with safetie of their consciences they shall exercise their ministery their coÌ„sciences being thus affected as they are would God they would so enter into the due examining of their consciences wherfore they should haue lost this fauour which they now thinke they shal recouer Yea wherfore should they not more looke herein to dutie theÌ„ to fauour for the exercise of their ministery if they be indéed as they say faithful ministers who made theÌ„ ministers did not our Bishops and if our B. be not Bishops how could they make any ministers and if their ordaining of theÌ„ were not a true ordaining theÌ„ are they no true ministers And if they be true lawful ministers how go they about to make their ministerie to be no true lawful ministerie of whoÌ„ their selues haue al the ministerie that they haue Would God this would sincke into their consciences they would then neuer be the causes of their owne disfauour or restraint from the exercise of their ministerie for the oppugning of their ministerie that made them ministers Which if they exercise not the default is not in the Bishoppes that made them ministers for they made them of fauour and to the endâ— that they should exercise their ministerie So that the fault of their disfauour and not exercise is principally in their owne selues And yet if they will performe indéede that which in woordes heere they offer they may both with recouerie of fauour exercise their ministerie still and might still so haue doone without losse of fauour if they would exercise their ministerie with that libertie which is meete for those which shal-be tyed in all thinges to haue especiall regarde to the peace of the Church and publike orders In what bonde will they bee tyed to this That her
This rule therefore that because it is first in time before another it is in order to bee first treated vpon before an other or because other as yet were not therefore that which was before made a perfect regiment is no perfect nor good argument Which argument being grounded on so vncertaine and weakâ— foundation all that is built thereon is easily shattered The Papistes for the traditions of the Church which they call the vnwritten worde or veritie vnwritten vse the like argument against the authoritie of Gods written word and veritie of the Scripture The word was deliuered by tradition of preaching before it was deliuered by writing therefore traditions are of no lesse authoritie nor lesse to be beleeued then the written worde and holie scripture yea the Churches authoritie is aboue the scriptures and is the iudge thereof Thus doe the Papistes encroche from the time to the authoritie as our brethren heere doe Nowe as this reason faileth both for the Senioritie of time and forestalling the order of place and much more for claiming any prioritie in dignitie and most of all for inferring any such honour as perfection of regiment so for the truthe of this proposition that The Church of God was perfect in all her regiment before there was any Christian Prince I can not yet sée howe directly it can be iustified For if this were true then there neede no regiment of Christian Princes at all And howe then haue the Christian Princes anie authoritie at all in Eccl. causes Or â—f they haue anie howe came they by it if the Churches regiment were perfect or the Church perfect in all her regiment before there were anie Christian Prince Or whereto serueth the Christian Princes supream authoritie in Ecclesiasticall causes if not to make the regiment of the Church in better estate For otherwise the Church were as good without it if she be no better in her Regiment by it then she was before shée had it But it is not so both the church and her regiment is bettered by it Which your selues are faine in part to confesse euen heere in the conclussion of your argument saying of God who hath most mercifully and wisely so established the same to wit the churches regiment that as with the comfortable aide of christian Magistrates it may singulerlie prosper and flourish c. And againe for the church craueth helpe defence of christian Princes to continue and go fore-ward more peaceablye and profiâ—ablye to the setting vp of the kingdome of Christ. Although héere ye will affoorde no more but this yet if there were no more this is inough to ouerthrow your saying that the church of God was perfect in all her Regiment before there was any christian prince For if this comfortable aide helpe and defence to continue and goe forewarde in so great matters as more peaceably and profitably to the setting vp of the kingdome of Christe were taken awaie then the church of God though I graunt it may continue and against the aduersaries thereof preuaile Yet should she not be perfect in al her Regiment needing this comfortable ayde help and defence of christian Princes And the setting vp of the kingdome of Christe shoulde with more trouble and lesse profit go fore-warde yea rather it should go back-warde and he hindered though it continue and not so singulerly flourish and prosper but decay And is this so smal a matter in your eyes brethren as that it nothing appertained to the Regiment of the church but that crauing all this of christian princes and so without them wanting the same ye dare so boldly auouch that she is perfect in all her Regiment without it Doth she craue that she wanteth not Then is she a wanton Doeth she want it then is she not perfect in all her Regiment Or doeth it not greatly pertaine vnto her Regiment Or doe yee thinke that this shall salue the matter because the churche may continue and againste the aduersaries thereof preuaile without it Our question nowe is not of the substance and beeing of the church but of the Regiment of it Neither yet simply of the Regiment but whether she were perfect in all her Regiment before any christian princes were or no The church I graunt was then and shall continue euer and she had euen then a Regiment also Yea and that Regiment in soone respectes might be called perfecte for that time while there were not such open professed christian princes to be foster fathers and noursing moothers of the church as God bee praysed now there are For concerning the Rectors of the church then as they were then more perfect and singuler persons so had they more perfect and singuler extra-ordinary offices and withall more excellent giftes to be able to gouerne it the better But this argueth so little the churches perfection then in al her Regiment vnderstanding the same of all her ordinary externall Regiment whereupon our question is which Regiment shee was not then so perfectly come vnto that rather their extra-ordinary gifts and offices of Apostles Euangelistes Prophetes c. were added for that time to supplye furnish that part of the Regiment thereof that was afterward to be made more perfect concerning the ordinary state by the accesse of the Christian Princes following Except therefore our Brethren intende vtterlie to shake off all Christian Princes and account their supreame authority in Church causes if not now to be nought yet to be nought worth and altogether vnnecessary to the perfection of the Churches Regiment how can this be any good argument to infirme it now because admitting this also were true there were no ChristiaÌ„ Princes theÌ„ what do they inferre here-upoÌ„ that there is no more néede héerein of Christian Princes now then there was then presupposing that then héerein there was no néede at all of them that were a very suspitious and perrilous conclusion For although theÌ„ there were the lesse néede of them because that néede was then other-wise supplied yet those supplies not continuing and malice increasing both of aduersaries without and of Hipocrites within and the giftes also that remaine decreasing there is now farre more neede of the Christian Princes supreame gouernment to the perfecting of the Churches Regiment And so the state of the time for the regiment of the church differing the argument of the Regiment from the time then to the time now is defectiue But if they néeded then héerein the helpe of christian Princes as they do nowe then was not the church perfect in all her Regiment otherwise than as it was extraordinarylie supplied before the christian Princes helpe and comfortable aide was added Before which time those temporary supplies comming to the church as the Manna and other extraordinary helpes made the Iewes estate to flourish prosper and goe fore-ward in the Desertes though they ceased when they came to the land of promise So the church might bee
said to bee perfecte in al her Regiment meaning that Regiment which was fittest for the state of her affâ—iction and trauelles then bicause she had such extraordiâ—â—ry helpes But this is no diminishing of that perfection if it may so be called that is requisite to the ordinary regiment of the Church vnder the Supreame Gouernment of Christian princes albeit the offices and giftes of Apostles Euangelists Prophets c. are ceased nor to be expected nor reuoked Nowe then as the proposition admitting there were no christian princes is not true in affirming that the church of God was perfecte in all her regiment before there was any Christian prince vnlesse wee vnderstand that perfection of all her Regiment which was appropriate to her by the extra-ordinary prerogatiue of that particuler age and peculier state thereof not extending it to all her ordinary Regiment that shoulde perpetuallie continue So is this proposition likewise moste vntrue in this other parte that there was not any christian prince then Albeit this also be no good argument there were no christian princes then Or they were not reckoned among the Gouernours of the church then therefore they are not to be reckoned among the gouernours of the Church nowe Neyther this argument The Apostle Rom. 12.1 Cor 12. and Ephes. 4. reckoneth vp onely in the church these 4. Pastors Teachers Gouernours and Deacons as the perpetual offices by whiche the Church of God may according to his worde be directed in all matters which are commonly called Ecclesiastical therefore Christian princes as not mentioned haue not to deale in the regiment of the same Which kinde of argumentes I am the sorier that these our Brethren in the earnestnesse of their zeale should vse bicause as Gellius Snecanus Phrysius noteth from whome our Brethren séeme to take manye thinges in this their Learned discourse all these reasons that our Brethren heere vse are the very plaine reasons of the Anabaptistes against christiaÌ„ Magistrates Whose heresie sith our Brethren do vtterly detest I would haue them vtterly detest in any case not to vse their reasons whichis nothing but to bolden strengthen the Heritikes to breed suspition to theÌ„selues Snecanus de Magistratu pag. 637. alleadgeth the Anabaptistes obiection saying Hucque trahunt quod Ephes. 4. c. And to this they drawe that Ephes. 4. the office of a Magistrate is not to be reckoned vp among the functions of the church Whereunto he aunswereth in the nexte page Quòd autem Ephes. 4. But as for that Ephesians 4. S. Paule doth not mention the office of a Magistrate that is to bee supplyed out of other places to witte Rom. 12. 1. Corinth 12. Whereas Rulings and gouernmentes are reckoned vp among the giftes of the church and kinds of vocations as is aboue declared Otherwise many things ordeyned in the church to edification should be condemned Yea euen as the Apostle Rom. 13. properlie treating of the ciuill Magistrates mentioneth not the Bishops so it is no maruell that Paule heere passeth ouer the meÌ„tion of the Magistrate Namelye when heere hee reckoneth not vp the kinds of al offices but specially and properly the functions onelie of the Ministers of the word Whereby not onely we see that this argument is the very argument of the Anabaptistes and therefore not to be vsed of our Bretheren but also that those places Romaines 12. 1. Cor. 12. cited also by these our Brethren where-as they vnderstande the woordes of the Apostle Rulers and Gouernours onely for their supposed Seniors and thirde sorte of Tetrarks those wordes are as-well to bee vnderstoode of Christian Magistrates Yea if those wordes of Rulers and Gouernours shoulde not bee so vnderstoode to witte for Christian Magistrates many thinges ordeyned in the church to aedification shoulde be condemned those wordes therefore being thus vnderstood both such ordinaunces in the Church ordeined by Christian Magistrats are not to be condemned and Christian Magistrates haue power to ordaine suche things And the argument that our brethren héere vse that thâ—re were nâ— Christian Princes at that time is also conâ—uted But this is handled by Gellius more at large pag. 555. To this purpose saith he serueth the likenesse and conueniencie of the Ciuill Magistrate and the Ecclesiasticall Ministery which fighte not one with the other but from the beginning haue alwayes beene most neerely ioyned together although the proprieties of them both in the Church are distinguished Euen as it is manifest by the example of Moyses and Aâ—ron This order was distinctly obserued in the Church of GOD in the time of godly King Iosaphat 2. Chron. 19. Which thing of all other is most euidentlie declared in the new Testament Mat. 22. Where Christe saith Giue vnto Caesar that that is Caesars and to God that that is Gods Where-upon it is manifest that God is no lesse the authour of the order of Magistracy among the faithfull Rom. 13. then hee is of the order of the Churches offices Ephes. 4. ver 11. These things dotâ— Paule most effectually confirme while Rom. 12. ver 8. and 1. Cor. 12. v. 28. he reckoneth vp Rules and Gouernments among the giftes of the Church and among the offices thereof For the proprietie of the wordes which the holy Ghoste both in the Greeke and in the Latine tongue doth vse not only signifieth especially the censure of the Eldershippe but may be also generally stretched to the Rulings and Gouernements of all offices as it is manifest by the declaration conference of the Scripture For besides the former places Rom. 12. v. 8. 1. Cor. 12. v. 28. The name of gouernment Pro. 11 v. 14. is giuen to counsellours Act. 27. v. 11 and Apocal. 18. v. 17. it is referred vnto Ship-maisters Lyâ—â—wise also the name of Ruling is applied in the firste Epistle to Timoth. the 3. chapter the 4. and 5. verses to the administration and discipline that is domesticall And to these fore-cited places commeth that which Paule Rom. 13. v. 1.4 and Tit. 3. ver 1. doeth expresse in the same wordes as-well in the Greeke as in the Latine tongue the ciuill power and reuengement of the Magistrate against vnrighteous men and malefactors against whome the Lawe is made 1. Tim. 1. v 9.10 and the spirituall power and reuengement giuen of the Lorde to the Apostles for the edification of the church against all contumacie 2. Cor. 10. v. 6.8 and the thirtienth chapter the tenth verse For in both places he vseth these woordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 insinuating by these selfe same woordes that the distincte proprietie of power and power and reuengement both wherby the Magistrate taketh vengeaunce of the contemner of the Lawes and wherebye the Churche hath yet in a readines reuengement and power against all contumacy is of God and to be reckoned among the offices of the Church Sithe that therefore the ordinaunce of the Ciuill power and of reuengement
and the matter and the endes thereof are no lesse of God then the spirituall power and reuengement of the Ecclesiasticall ministerye sithe these two distincte functions haue alwayes beene ioyned together in the Church and the holy Ghost reckoning vp rulings and gouernements among the giftes and functions of the Church doth generally comprehende all kindes of offices yea doeth rather expresse both the Ciuill and the Ecclesiasticall power and reuengement by the selfe-same meanes With what rashnesse would the aduersaries excâ—ude that from the Church except they will take this away withall Besides this not onely the Scripture calleth the distinct Ciuill and Ecclesiasticall function by the selfe same names by reason of the coniunction and vse of them both in the Church but also calleth the ministers of them both Guides and Praesidentes This is manifest by the conference of the Testimonies Mat. 27. ver 2. Act. 23. ver 26. Hebr. 13. ver 7. and 17. 1. Pet. 2. ver 14. for in these places the worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is commonly attributed as-well to the Ciuill Magistrate as to the Ministers of the worde To conclude when Paule 1. Cor. 12. v. 10.28 29 And 2. Cor. 10. v. 5. 6. doth reckon vp powers and reuengement against all contumacie lifting vp it selfe against God wherewith Peter strake down Ananias and Sapphira Act. 5. and Paule strake blinde Elymas the Sorcerer among the giftes and powers of the Church who woulde exclude the powers of the Magistracie ordeyned of God for the punishment of euil-doers from his Church Either of the powers is of God aswell this ordinary of the Magistrate as that extra-ordinary you see the reuengement of the wicked to be both waies approued of God although the properties of the offices the forme of the reuenging are distinguished It is not to the purpose whether ye kil with sworde or with worde as saith Lactantius there is no difference in the very substance of the reuengement the end of either power is al one to wit the glory of God shyning in the righteous punishment of the euil Yea rather since that teÌ„porary power of punishing the obstinat hath ceased after that kings are now made the nourishers champions of the Church Therfore the church of Christ hath so much more need of this ordinary power reuengement of the Magistrate wherby the good may be defended the euil punished Lo Christian Reader the scripture teacheth that the Ciuill power hath alwayes beene ioyned with the ministery of the word in the Church Thus saith Gellius Snecanus one of the principal writers at this day of these our brethren the Learned Discoursers side Wherein we sée how our brethren runne vpon the same flats that the Anabaptistes do Grounding themselues against the Princes supreame authority in Ecclesiasticall matters on the very selfe-same reasons that those Heritikes doe And the very same reasons whereby Gellius confuteth the Anabaptistes doe also directly confute these Learned discoursers The Anabaptistes say these words Gouernours and Rulers Rom. 12. and 1. Cor. 12. are to be vnderstoode onely of Ecclesiasticall Gouernours and Rulers and doe not our Learned discoursers auouche the same But Gellius héere verie exactly doth confute it The Anabaptistes say that in Christes and in the Apostles time there was no Christian Magistrate as Gellius setteth down their obiection pag. 568. and what doth this differ from this assertion of these our Learned discoursers The Church of God was perfect in all her regiment before there was anie Christian Prince I doe not speake this as though these our Learned discoursers did sauour of Anabaptistry or fauour Anabaptistry wittinglie God forbid Howbeit in a heate zeale inconsideratlie they runne vpon these quick sands But Ictus Piscator sapir Gellius who sawe the state endaungered when this old supposed and new deuised Seniorie was set vp and that the Anabaptistes vsed these arguments against the Christian Magistrates was driuen not onely to wring these weapons out of their handes but to breake them in peeces as naughtie argumentes And will our brethren now take vp the broken shyuers and fight with them to put backe the treatise of the Christian Princes Gouernment Let Gellius therefore come foorth and plainely tell them that this is no plaine reason to proue their matter by but both a friuolous and intrue assertion that the Church of God was perfect in all her Regiment before there was any Christian Prince No no brethren saith Gellius it is nothing so your saying is not agree-able to good order of teaching The Scripture teacheth that the Ciuill power hath alwayes beene ioyned with the Ministerie of the worde in the church If it were alwayes ioyned it was ioyned euen then when our brethren auouche it was not onely disioyned but that the one was perfecte when the other was not at all But because this Gellius a Phrysian in the Lowe Countries is one of the chiefest writers of our brethrens side in those reformed Churches of whome our Discoursers willed vs before to embrace that moste bewtifull order of Ecclesiasticall Regiment which God so manifestlie doth blesse and prosper in our neighbours handes and heere they remember vs againe that the Church of God doth stande at this day in moste blessed estate where the Ciuil Magist. are not the greatest fauorers it is good therefore that our brethren should see both howe they are troubled with Anabaptistes among these our neighbours where this order of Ecclesiasticall Regiment so much extolled by our brethren is set vp And to see the iudgementes of our brethrens best fauorites and most experienced in these matters how cleane contrary it is to these our learned but not experienced discoursers iudgements Whereby our learned brethren may learne not onely to make better reasons but much better and with more reason to waxe wiser héerein with this Gellius and rather vse their reasons to beat downe the Anabaptistes then to vse such as the Anabaptistes vse to beat back the christian Princes And good brethren marke the reasons of this Gellius well and ye shall finde them fully to aunswere your reasons in this matter Gellius still procéeding against the Anabaptistes beateth especially on these points that the Churche and the faithe of the olde and new Testament is but one and the same pag. 559. That there is one and the same doctrine of both the couenaunts aswell concerning the article of Magistrates and controuersie of punishing the euill or vse of the sworde as concerning the morall workes of Gods Lawe pag. 560. Whereupon hee discourseth by particuler collations of the olde and new Testament how not onlie God in them both is shewed to be the authour of the Magistrate but how the like thinges are required of the Magistrate in both estates howe both Testamentes direct the Magistrate to one ende howe both Testaments giue Magistrates like authority in punishment how all manner of persons aswell Ecclesiasticall as Ciuill were and are subiecte
honestye of godlinesse can haue place in them I aunswere we must distinguish the matter by it selfe from the person and the lawfull from the vnlawfull vse For the vices of the men are not to be imputed to the order Moreouer the giftes of God are diuerse of the which some are common aswell to the euill as to the good as miracles Matth 7. externall peace fertilitie c. For God suffereth his Sunne to arise both vpon the good and vpon the euil And heereunto Mariage and Magistracie may be referred The substance of which things by it self as the good ordinance of God we must distinguish frō the vice of mē The question betwixt our aduersaries and vs is not of the persons or of the abuse of the Magistracie but of the very matter it self Which as it is not vitiated by the impietie of the Gentiles in Paules time so most commodiouslye may it and ought to bee administred of a Christian. To conclude it maketh nothing for the aduersaries nor hindreth the godly which execute the office of a Magistrate that Nebuchadnezer is called the seruaunt of god Hier. 25. For albeit the euill Magistrate also be of god in respect of the Diuine ordinaunce notwithstanding the malice of man is not therefore to be imputed to the order it selfe But of necessity we must distinguish the persons from the offices instituted of god Heere the aduersaries stumble on the fallacion of composition and on the fallacion of the accident as also in that sentence Rom. 13. wherby they confound the persons of the wicked their vices with the ordinaunce of god Nebuchadnezar is not absolutely called the Seruaunt of god but in a certaine respect to wit of the iudgement of god as it were a scourge wherewith the sinnes of the Israelites were visited But Paule calleth the Magistrate the minister of god simplie Yea he calleth him also a good ordinaunce Moreouer if Nebuchadnezar and the heathen Magistrate bee called the seruaunt and Minister of god to whome the godly were compelled to obey much more therfore euen by the comparison of the lesse to the greater the godly executing the office of a Magistrate are GODS Ministers to whome we owe obedience according to Paule 1. Tim. 6 ves 1.2 would god all would heere marke the venome of the olde serpent howe much more wee encline rather to rule and to abuse the Christian liberty than to obey Last of all Nebuchadnezar is not reprehended in the Scripture in respect of his Magistracy but in respecte of his malice c. Lo gentle Reader out of these thinges one of these two followeth of necessity either there ought to be a Magistrate among the Christians and that they may administer their Magistracie Or els Paule did amisse in writing to the Romaines of the matter Whether of these 2. shall wee beleeue The Apostle saith the Magistracie is of God the aduersaries denie that a Christian may execute this ordinaunce of god Is it not lawfull for a Christian to be of god Yea to bee good and to bee gods Minister See whyther pertinacy and partialitie will carry men awaie The aduersaries exclude Christian Princes that fauour not Anabaptistry from saluation when they them-selues are not afrayed to exercise among themselues the office of a Magistrate and to ioyne it with Faith Did not god commit vnto Moyses and to Esdras as to the Politique Magistrate the Libell of Diuorcement and matrimoniall controuersies to bee decided Wherefore doe you take vppon you the separation of those that are maried for the cause of Fornication and and of departure made from the infidels yea and that also the iudgement of Ciuill controuersies among your selues sithe that these things according to your saying haue no place in the Church of Christe nor can stande together with Faith Trulie one of these twaine followeth of necessitie heere-upon either the office of the Magistrate ought to haue place among them as the onely Christians or else they thruste their sickle into an-others haruest and arrogate to them-selues that that properlie belongeth to the Magistrate Lo gentle Reader thou seest the aduersaries contrary to their own doctrine turne indeede the office of the Magistrate to their own commendation which in Christian Princes they discommend As though that were lawfull for them whiche vnto other were not lawefull Not that the thing is diuerse but because the men are diuerse Markest thou not heere in the aduersaries the venome of the olde serpent and the seditious spirit of the Iudaicall Rebellion howe it enclineth more to Ruling than to obeying God requireth men that are valiaunt fearing God louers of the truth and of righteousnesse which hate filthie lucre and are prudent to be the ministers of God Exod. 18. ver 21. Deut. 1. ver 13. 2. Chr. 19. Psal. 2. v. 10. c. also Rom. 13 v. 4. Whether of these men are the fitter to execute these properties of Magistrates those that are straungers from Christe and from his church as the Iebusits Cananites to whom the aduersaries compare at this day the Magistrate or those that are true Christians and beleuers Paule Rom. 13. 1. Peter 2. do concordantly teach that the Magist. is Gods minister ordeyned for the praise of those that do wel and for the punishment of those that do ill To this accordeth Paule 1. Tim. 2. teaching that we must pray for all manner persons placed in highe authority that we may lead a quiet and honest life with all godlines Out of which places conferred together we see in breefe the Magistrates office is to minister vnto god the parts of whose Ministery consiste generally in the custody of both the Tables of the tenne Commaundements and first in the care of Religion Heereupon the volume of the Lawe is commended vnto the King Deut 17. and the execution against the despisers of religion Heereunto appertaine the examples of Moses Dauid Iosue Ezechias c. and 1. Tim. 2. godlinesse properly respecteth the worship of God and then in maintaining the publike peace as-well in defending the good as in punishing the euill and thirdlie in honesty of life whereby euerie one performes his dutie 1. Tim. 2. These finall causes therefore of instituting the Magistrate being set downe with what boldnesse take they awaye the vse thereof out of the Church of Christ Or els doe they dreame of such a Church as no man hath euer seene And if the office of the Christian Magistrate and custodie of the tenne commaundementes were taken awaie What I pray you would remaine in the worlde but meere Libertinisme and a licentiousnesse of all mischiefes If the aduersaries were not blinded in their owne selfe-loue and boldnesse they would easily learne this not onelie in them-selues but also in the examples of the faithful both of the olde and newe testament For if the godly haue no manner of neede at all of the Magistrate Why doeth Moyses complaine of the Israelites who did eate of the same
spirituall meate and drinke of the same spirituall drinke that we do Howe can I labour alone and beare your burthen and contentions Why were striuings and contentions among the faithfull Corinthians Doe our aduersaries holier then they want Darnel and euill doers But if they obiect that albeit these things may be graunted concerning the latter table of the Lawe yet the former table properlie respecteth conscience and faith ouer which the Magistrate hath no power but God alone I aunswere the aduersaries are heere deceaued and do deceaue in that they exclude out of the former Table of the Law outwarde Idolatry and prophanation of the name of GOD and of the Saboth and the punishment of these things Sith that this former table of the Law comprehendeth in one and the same nature of definition not only the inwarde worship of faith and the Idolatrie contrary thereunto but also the outwarde workes and punishments of them both As when the Magistrate punisheth periury God testifieth that he accurseth the soule that reuerenceth not his name But the Magistrate when hee punisheth properly respecteth the outwarde woorke although hee be not able to change the minde These thinges orderly considered it were rather to bee wished that there were no common-wealth without a true Christian Magistrate theÌ„ that the same should bee excluded from the Church of God For who is able better to fulfil the conditions of a Magistrate before already noted or the office and endes pertayning to him then is a Christian Insomuch that if we shall iudge aright of the giftes of God we muste confesse that it is a mighty benefite of God when he giueth a godly and a Christian Magistrate vnto his Church Is it not lawfull for a Christian to be of GOD and to administer the Ordinaunce of God Is it not lawfull for a faithfull person to defende the godlie to punishe the euill to exercise iustice to defende the Widowes and the Father-lesse and to be the Minister of God Rom. 13. Is it not lawful for a Christian to preserue the publike tranquillitie with all godlinesse and honesty 1. Tim. 2. By these works God is glorified And the Prophetes and Apostles exhort the faithfull thereunto Therefore the Christian Magistrates office beeing taken away all the former vertues are taken awaye with-all With what rashnesse therefore O man darest thou exclude the Magistrate from God by reason of the vse of the sworde whome Paule euen for the same reason calleth Gods Minister Yea when Paule sayeth Wilt thou not feare the power do well He signifieth that it is a manifest testification of an euill conscience to dispise the Magistrate Christe and the Apostles acknowledged the Heathen Magistrate to be Gods ordinaunce and gaue honour vnto him It is maruell therefore that the aduersaries will not admit that a Christian may exercise that diuine ordinaunce Especially seeing that Paule wished after holy Iudges preferreth them before Infidels Yea and expreslye teacheth that the Saints shall iudge the world 1. Cor. 6. ver 1.2 Heer-unto serueth that that Paule 1. Tim. 6. ver 1.2 saith Let seruaunts whosoeuer bee vnder the yoke esteeme their Maisters worthy of al honour those that haue faithfull Maisters let them not despise them in that they bee their brethren but so much the rather serue them because they are faithful and beloued These things teach and exhort saith the Apostle Woulde to God and aduersaries would teach also those that are theirs in like manner and enforce these things with exhortations If Christe and his Apostles yeelded thus muche vnto an Heathen Magistrate howe muche more is due vnto a Christian Magistrate If the ende of the Magistrate bee to haue the care of Religion and to defende good men with what reason do the aduersaries exclude the Magistrate from the proprietie of Religion and of good If they describe the office of the Magistrate onely by Politique constitutions I pray you what difference make they betwene the Turkish and the Christian Magistrate If the office of the Magistrate be not necessary to the Church Why did Paule and Peter write of that matter to the faithfull that were subiect to the discipline of Christ. Wherefore had the aduersaries rather to dispise rule and to rayle on dignities by comparing them vnto Iebusits c. according to the Apostles prophecie of the last dayes 2. Pet. 2. ver 10. then to follow the wiâ—â— of God 1. Pet. 2. ver 15 c. And by well dooing to bridle the ignorance of madde men and to honour the King With what boldnes call they Magistrates murtherers because they kill homicides and the transgressors of the Lawe Which Magistrates the holie Ghost calleth Gods and the Ministers of God Psal. 82. Ioh. 10. Rom. 13. No man in very deede will denie but that al men none excepted are subiecte vnto their ordinary Magistrates and may be compelled to render vnto them that they owe them c. Rom. 13. ver 1. c. If obedience be godlie the vse of the sworde is also godly These things of necessity followe one another mutually to be subiect to the Magistrate and render that we owe them doe generally comprehende all thinges without the which the sworde of the Magistrate by it selfe alone cannot be borne It followeth therefore that the subiectes owe obedience in the vse of the sword vnto the Magistrate to defend the good and punish the euill and that for conscience See the aduersaries make a matter of conscience to obey the Magistrat in punishing the euil But Paule saith wee ought to doe the same euen for conscience Vnto whome agreeth Peter saying for the Lorde or for the Lords will Lo whether of these shall we beleeue the holy Ghost speaking by the Apostles or the aduersaries If anie man shall say we must more obey God than man Paule answereth the Magistrate and the vse of the sworde for the punishment of Malefactors is the ordinaunce of God and there-fore heere we owe obedience not to man but vnto God him-selfe Furthermore no man can serue two Maisters Mat. 6. Neither God at anie tyme hath commaÌ„ded that we should obey wicked constitutions but all the godly of the olde and newe Testament the Prophetes Christe the Apostles haue not onely serued God and the Magistrate both together but certaine also of them haue exercised the office of the Magistrate Heb. 11. c. Wherupon most forcibly it followeth that to be a Christian or to serue and to exercise the office of a Magistrate and to punish the euill are not contrary neyther fight with the faith in Christ but rather are ordeined one vnder the other which may both without any damage to Christian godlinesse consist together in one man And this is euident among other by the examples of Melchisedech Heli and Samuel who were Priestes and Magistrates both at once Yea God did not distinguishe those two offices for that they fought one with an-other but that one man was
scarse sufficient to exercise both c. Al this and much more writeth this Gellius Phrysius in his aunswere to the Anabaptistes obiection who made this one of the cheefest of their argumentes that in Christes and Paules time there were no Christian Magistrates Neither do I set downe all this as though these writers of this Learned discourse were so farre gone as these Anabaptistes to denie that there ought to be any Christian Princes But rather to giue them warning to take the greater héed that they come not too néere them either in whole or in parte nor strengthen their errour and weaken the Princes state and bréede themselues suspition by vsing the selfe-same argumentes that they vse It is an olde saying He that will no euill do Must do nothing that longes therto For if they doe loe héere how wee neede not one of the chiefeste of their owne side among these our neighbours whom they before so highly commended vnto vs will not spare to set againste these our Brethren also Neither yet doeth Gellius Snecanus Phrysius ende this matter thus but as it were sets afresh againe vpon this proposition that the Church of GOD was perfect in all her Regiment before there was anie Christian Prince To improue this further Snecanus doeth enter into the fowrthe parte of his treatise againste the Anabaptistes saying It nowe remayneth that hauing opened the fore-said rules of the Scripture taken from God the onelie authour of the Magistrate in both the Testamentes from the agreable proposition of the Ciuill and spiritual power in the Church froÌ„ the Church and the doctrine being one in both the Testa and from the examples of punishments declared by Paule for our admonition and also from the definition nature or proprietie and final causes of the Magistrate and the office of the subiects at the length from the special sentences of Christ and his Apostles we should nowe set downe vnder these thinges certaine liuely examples that that which is in sentences set before the minde maye in a certayne manner be euidentlie layde before the senses by examples Firste thou hearest Mat. 8. That the Centurion at one and the same tyme together was both a Minister of the military affayres of the Romaynes and had so great faith as Christ at that time founde not in Israell Ver. 9.10 Also Ioseph of Arimathia is called a disciple of Iesus who looked for the kingdome of God who was also a Senator exercising iudgement against the wicked and those that were guilty of death as appeareth by that that the Scripture mentioneth and excepteth him that he consented not to the death of Christe beeing a good and a righteous man Mat. 27.57 Mar. 15.43 Luc. 23.50 c. Moreouer Theophilus vnto whome Luke dedicateth his Gospell was a Prince and gouernour of some certaine Region as it appeareth by the propertie of the Epithete The most excellent which is a title agreable to men that are Princes For Acts 23. ver 26. it is attributed vnto Felix And in the 26. chapter likewise the 25. verse vnto Festus eyther of them beeing the Ruler of Iudaea c. Furthermore Nichodemus one of the chiefe Rulers of the Iewes instructed by Christ him-selfe in the Faithe Io. 3. remayned in his vocation and his Magistracy as appeareth Io. 7 v. 50. Neither did he for the same cause forsake Christe as it is euident by his officiousnesse of Christs buriall Io. 19. ver 39. Besides this in that royall Courtier Ioan. 4. coÌ„uerted by Christ vnto the Faith And in the Eâ—muche that was the chiefe gouernour of Candaces Queene of the Aethiopians Act. 8. baptized by Phillip And also in the Pro-consull Sergias Paulus Act. 13. c. Also Cornelius Act. 10. ver 1. c. who also is called a Centurion and a godlie man and one that feared God who also continually prayed to GOD which coulde not be done without Faith in the Messias except a man will absurdly say that all before the time of Christe were withoâ—t faith when as this man especially is called one purified of God and acceptable vnto him ver 15. and 35. c. Heere I passe in silence the example of the chiefe rulers of Asia Fâ—r who will affirme that they being the friendes of Paule were without the knowledge of Christ Act. 19. ver 30 c. To these aboue named commeth the example of Erastus the procurator of the citie Rom. 16. ver 25. Exercising the office of a Magistrate and reckoned by the holy Ghoste among the Faithful Yea and the example also of the Saints who were of the house of Caesar Phil. 4. v. 22 c. Thus we se most euidentlie euen by the testimony at large of this one man as one of the principall of their owne side to presse them with 〈◊〉 more how this reason that heere these Learned discoursers stand so much vpon that the churche of God was perfecte in all her Regiment before there was any christian Prince is not only one of the principallest reasons of the Anabaptistes whom they I hope no lesse than we detest albeit iâ— this affectionate zeale they do in so many pointes as wee may héereby â—â—ther euen in a manner iutte with them though vnawars to iusâ—le at the authority of Christian Princes but also how weake and of no force at all this their reason is And with what a multitude of far better reasons yea as the Apostle saith with a cloude of witnesses it is beaten downe And that which is most of all to be respected how greatly they ouershoot theÌ„selues in the truth thereof Neither doth it auaile them to say that none of these were Emperours For it euicteth the cause sufficientlie thâ—â— they were Princes or at leaste anie kinde of Magistrates If they replye that yet they did exercise no authority gouernment in the church but liued as priuate persons among the Christians albeit this is also the refuge of the Anabaptistes yâ—t howe can this be prooued Which if it were true might make indéede not colour but grounde of reason for the Anabaptistes But as those Princes were conuerted vnto Christianitie So no doubt they reteyned their estates still and the Christians so acknowledged and called them as before And if they submitted themselues before to their authoritie while those Princes were Infidels shal we thinke that eyther the Princes did not much more thinke theÌ„selues bounden to ouersée so far as their abilitie stretched all the thrée especiall points of their charge in the maintenance of both the Tables of Gods Law Peace honestie and godlinesse to be maintayned among the Christians or that the Christian subiectes did not nowe much more honour them obey them commit the Gouernment of their controuersies to them when after they remayned among them being Christians and retayned still their Gouernments being Princes But Gellius also saith somewhat hereunto Page 634. Moreouer they obiecte that Paule 1. Cor. 6. Forbad the faithfull that
they here giue thē an harder title to be not the greatest fauourers then that I hope they will say they implie our gratious Soueraigne in that tearme If then they meane that we liue vnder such a blessed Prince as fauoureth the Gospell doe these men speake it in good sooth as indéede sooth it is or doe they Iest or speake it but for fashion sake But howe-soeuer they séeme to glaunce hereat for they neither say it in expresse wordes but as it were by comparison doe séeme to inferre as much in telling vs of other places in the worlde where the Princes are not the greatest fauourers notwithstanding they tell vs neither what thing it is whereof they are not the greatest fauourers But I ghesse that in this their Rhetoricall breuitie they meane that they fauour not the Gospell or the Church of God For it séemeth they referre it not to this Regiment that themselues fauour and desire For so they knowe that her Maiestie being also not the greatest fauourer of their desired Regiment they might conclude that the Churche of Englande which they crie out of to bee in a state disordered should bée in that most blessed estate which they desire They séeme therefore to meane this that her Maiestie is indéede a fouourer of the Gospell or Church of God and yet the state of the Churche of God vnder Her Maiestie is in an vnperfect lesse blessed and more disordered estate than it is where the Princes are not the greatest fauourers of the Church of God and of his Gospell Which if it be their meaning as I woulde be loath to gather of their wordes anie thing beyonde their meaning so I had rather they expounded themselues or that their wordes néeded not an expositer as well many times as an aunswere Nowe then if their meaning be thus that her Maiestie is a fauourer of the Gospell and of the Church of God although this in some sense may séeme but a colde and sclender commendation bestowed on her Maiestie to bee but a fauourer as though thee liked well ynough thereof and liked of others that professed it but her selfe were not so zealous a professour and louer of the Gospell yet construyng all this to the best interpretation of her fauour thereunto that her Maiestie is a great fauourer of the Gospell of God and of his Church howe then doth shee so highlie fauour the same and yet not suffer the Church of God to be so perfecte in all her Regiment as where no Christian but Heathen Princes are and not to be in so blessed estate as it is vnder those Ciuill Magistrates that are not the greatest fauourers Meaning indéede vnder a gentle name for reuerence sake are no fauourers at all but so much as they can hate and persecute the Gospell and Church of God and yet will they nill they suffer it more to florishe herein than her Maiestie doeth béeing so great a fauourer of the same What a foule rebuke vnder pretence of commendation is this to her Maiestie Yea what a kinde of fauouring call ye this when the not fauouring of the enemie is better for the Regiment of the Church than the fauourers loue Indéede accidentalli◠thinges may fall out so cleane contrarie as he that thought to kill his enemie did him more good in thrusting him thorough and opening that impostume settered within him then all his friendes and Phisitions that could not helpe him But what gra-mercie was that to him Whereas directly of it selfe is not this threatned of God that he will take awaye a good Prince in his wrath and giue an euill Prince to punishe the wickednesse of his people and doeth not God promise as a great blessing to his Church that Kinges should be the foster fathers and Queenes should be the noursing mothers thereof But by these men they had a better Regiment when they had Pharao to nourse them with drowning of the infantes in the water and oppressing their parentes on the lande and when Herode bathed the infantes in their owne bloud Did GOD meane they shoulde haue suche Pappe with an Hatchet and that Princes should be nourses on that fashion Or did hee rather meane that when he would sende such Princes as should fauour his Gospel and his Church euen as the good nource comforteth and guideth well the childe and is as it were an-other Parent to it vnder whom the childe battelleth and is well brought vppe so next vnder GOD our heauenly Father wée should be nourished fed comforted defended and guided till we growe to our perfect age in Iesu Christe vnder the godlie Gouernement of our Christian Princes And is this that is promised for so great a blessing turned to a curse And the curse turned to so great a blessing God is able indéede to turne all thinges to good God had his Church still euen in the most dreadfull persecutions that euer were and the gold is siner that is tryed in the fornace seuen times So that this redoundeth in the end both to the greater glorie of God and to the better confirmation of his Church But what can we conclude hereon That the Church when such hauocke is made in the congregation and it is dispersed here and there is then more perfect in al her Regiment and in most blessed state S. Paule saith Rom. 5. Where sinne abounded grace did more abound But what shall we say then saieth S. Paule Rom. 6. Shall we continue still in sinne that grace may abound God forbid And in those dayes of more iniquitie abounding in the time of planting amonge the Gentiles the faith and Gospell of Iesus Christe the most parte of the Gentiles raged and the people imagined vaine thinges the kinges of the earth assembled and the rulers came together against the Lorde and against his Christe Al-be-it the faith tooke rooting amonge some both Princes and people And GOD in that extraordinarie time dealt extraordinarilie with them both with extraordinarie gifts and extraordinarie offices Whereby he so helped and beautified that Primitiue estate of the Churche of Christe among all those troubles persecutions dissipations that the Church séemed rather to flourish thē to be oppressed to be In most blessed estate in some respects when in other respectes it was in most pitifull estate as S. Paule sayth 2. Cor. 6. of Gods helpe at such times For he sayth I haue heard thee in a time accepted and in the day of saluation haue I succoured thee Behold now the accepted time behold nowe the day of saluation We giue no occasion of offence in anie thing that our ministerie should not be reprehended but in all thinges wee approue our selues as the ministers of God in much patience in afflictions in necessities in distresses in stripes in prisons in tumults in labours By watchings by fastinges by purenesse by knowledge by long suffering by kindnesse by the holie Ghost by loue vnfeined by the worde of truthe by the power
seemeth for it is manifest Whereas indéed not onelie it seemeth but is manifest to be a manifest violent and extorted conclusion Yea a manifest iniurie both to God to his churche and to all the authoritie of all godlie Christian Princes and most manifest wrong vnto her Maiestie Dooth her Maiestie in claiming the supreame authoritie in Ecclesiasticall causes in that portion of the churche of God committed to her Maiesties gouernement or in not yéelding to this your desired regiment claime this that the regiment and gouernement of the churche dependeth vpon her authoritie And if ye say ye meane not her Maiestie but speake still vpon Princes at large though ye mend not the matter but make it worse yet would to God ye would once name soone to put the matter out of all suspition and let them beare the blame that claime such highe authoritie and absolute power that all the regiment of the Churche dependeth thereon No I am sure ye can name no godlie Prince that dooth so And yet sée not onelie how ye make this a manifest conclusion but how to aggrauate the matter and make it more odious ye conclude it also with an opposition betwéene the Princes authoritie and Gods ordinance saying by which it is manifest that the regiment and gouernement thereof dependeth not vpon the authoritie of Princes but vpon the ordinance of God As though the Princes authoritie were not also the ordinance of God As the Apostle expresselie saith Rom. 13. Let euerie soule be subiect to the higher powers for there is no power but of God And the powers that be are ordeined of God Whosoeuer therefore resisteth resisteth the ordinance of God And shall we now make an opposition betwixt the authoritie of Princes especiallie speaking of Christian Princes and Gods ordinance How could the verie enimies of vs both either the Papists or the Anabaptists haue roughe hewen a sharper conclusion against Christian Princes authoritie than this is Notwithstanding least Christian Princes should take iust offence not onelie to haue their authoritie thus cleane cut off but cast out of the doores also of the Churche of God with such a contumelie as an authoritie opposite to Gods ordinance and yet claiming all the Churches regiment to depend thereon This conclusion shall bee afterward smoothed with gentler termes and Christian Princes shall haue somewhat graunted to appease them And what in this conclusion is that authoritie that shall be now yéelded vnto Christian Princes Forsooth that God hath most mercifullie and wiselie so established the same that as with the comfortable aide of christian Magistrates it may singulerlie florish and prosper so without it it may coÌ„tinue and against all the aduersaries thereof preuaile For the Churche craueth helpe and defence of Christian princes to go forward more peaceablie and profitablie to the setting vp of the kingdome of Christe but all hir authoritie she receaueth immediatlie of God Whye what againe is this to thâ— supreame or to any authoritie of Christian Princes in ecclesiasticall causes Héere is some-what indéede for the Churches authoritie but we speake not now of the Churches authoritie so much as of the princes authoritie in the Churche except they will héere make a double oppositioÌ„ not onelie betwéene the princes authoritie and Gods ordinance but also betwéene the prince and the Churche and either of their authorities the princes and the churches and so enter into a new question which of these is greater But this is another great iniurie offered to christian Princes who are by this meanes as it were thrust out not onlie of their authoritie in the Churche but as being either none at all of the Churche saue as an opposite part thervnto or if a parte of the Churche yet a contentious parte for authoritie striuing with the Churche of the which them-selues are a principall parte and member For what else meane they by these wordes the Churche craueth helpe and defence of Christian Princes but that they seperate the Christian Prince and the Church And whom meane they then by the name of the Churche the whole oâ— particuler bodie thereof But all the people deale not with the gouernement of them-selues nor are their owne Gouernours which would bréed a great confusion in their gouernement and quickelie come to no gouernement at all If they meane these foure Tetrarches as it séemes they doo they likewise be but partes to the Churche as are the Princes and inferior parts of the Prince also except they will contend for superioritie aboue the Prince But inferior or superior they be but partes and cannot claime to them-selues any more the name of the Churche being but the Churches Ministers if all be so then the Prince or the people may Nor so much neither the Prince representing the head and the people being the bodie And if they say they bee Christes ministers so is the Prince also no lesse in his function then anye of them in theirs And let them looke to it thus vnder the name of the Churche to part all the churches authoritie among them and so oppose their authoritie as the churches to the Princes authoritie For thus played euen the verie popish Priests the common enemies to vs bothe And vnder pretence of the churches authoritie and that they were the churche the Ecclesiasticall persons and the churche men and that the Prince and the people were but méere laye and ciuill persons seperate from the churche they not onelie kept the people downe but also wroong all authoritie in Ecclesiasticall causes from the Prince And vsed euen the same tearmes of the churche and the Ciuill Magistrate that héere these our brethren vse Yea and the same reason and giue the christian Princes as much yea the selfe-same titles that héere our brethren doo While thus betwéene them bothe the christian Princes are spoiled of all their authoritie in Ecclesiasticall causes For what is all that is giuen to christian Princes héere but to be onelie aiders helpers and defendors of the churche And doo not the Papists vse the same tearmes And giue as goodlie titles as these to christian Princes Yes and more and better too But what is this vnto regiment gouernement and authoritie No héere is nothing mentioned but the regiment and gouernement thereof Wherof Of the Prince No of the churche And the churche craueth helpe and defence of christian Princes but all her authoritie is immediatlie of God So that of the Prince she receiueth no authoritie at all For if sâ—ée receiue all immediatlie of God then shée receaueth none immediatlie nor mediatlie of the Prince And if the receaue none from the Prince but all of God immediatlie without anye authoritie of the Prince then is she exempted from all the authoritie of the Prince and all her authoritie is aboue all the authoritie of the Prince Yea the prince hath no authoritie at all ouer her And so not onelie the Prince for anye not supreame but any authoritie
at all ouer the churche in Ecclesiasticall causes maye goe séeke it else-where for the churche is sped alreadie of all her authoritie from God immediatlie with-out any from the Prince but also the prince hazardeth his ciuill authoritie too For if the churche finger any of that also it is as good as a Mort-maine against the Prince For why the prince may helpe her make her flourish and prosper but all hir authoritie is immediatlie of God Haue not Christian princes héere a faire supreame authoritie in Ecclesiasticall causes left them If the churche deale thus with christian Princes is that churche woorthie of the comfortable aide of christian Magistrates and to haue it when it craueth helpe and defence of Christian princes that will acknowledge her selfe to receaue no authoritie at all of christian princes If shée saith shée will acknowledge that shée receaueth that is to say comfortable aide of christian Magistrates with the which it may singularlie flourish and prosper and that shée acknowledgeth the helpe and defence that shée craueth of Christian princes to continue and go forward more peaceablie and profitablie to the setting vp of the kingdome of Christe This is yet some-what more then before was graunted So that the churche hath néede of Christian princes comfortable aide helpe and defence And then with-out them shée is not so perfect in all her regiment nor in moste blessed nor so much blessed estate but that I perceaue shée is more blessed with them and where the princes are fauoures of the churche and Gospell and kingdome of Christe there it may flourish and prosper and that singulerly which is some-what more yet by one ace then where the princes are not the greatest fauorers But where they are fauorers there the church that belike stood still before or went backeward or went forward more difficultlye may goe forward not onlie more peaceablie but also more profitablie to the setting vp of the kingdome of Christe This is much more then was before graunted Yea but say they as it may haue all these benefits by the princes helpe so without it it may continue and against the aduersaries thereof preuaile GOD forbid else But dooth it nota great deale better preuaile with it Yes but what is all this vnto anye gouernement regiment or authoritye in the Prince ouer the Churche My fréende maye helpe me that hath no authoritie ouer me yea so may my seruants that are vnder my gouernement and with their comfortable aide helpe and defence when I craue it I may singulerlie flourish and prosper Yea the prince himselfe be he neuer so high and mightie may craue comfortable aide helpe and defence of an other prince or of his owne subiects wherby he may both singularlie flourish and prosper And also continue and go forward more peaceablie and profitablie not onelie to the maintenance of his owne estate but also to the setting vp of the kingdome of Christe what shall we conclude héereon that such persons therefore haue any authoritie ouer him And this is all that is héere affoorded to anye Christian prince ouer the churche of God And how much is this Forsoothe for any authoritie more or lesse when it comes all to all none at all And why so For the churche receiueth all hir authoritie immediatlie of God What and nothing mediatelie of man No Not of the Apostles Nor by all or by any of these foure estates Or are they onelie the churche and haue all the authoritie Yea are they God himselfe if they onelie be not the churche Or dooth God giue them still that power that they haue or pretend to haue of him immediatelie and by his owne selfe without any mediation and that in all the authoritie not onelie of preaching the word and ministring the Sacraments and binding and losing but also of electing imposition of handes and ordeining ministers and of calling Councels and of making anye ordinances and constitutions concerning any Ecclesiasticall matters What if some of these be of God but yet mediatelie of God by Gods Ministers And what if some of them be of God also but mediatelie from the Christian Prince Yea what if the Christian princes authoritie be of God also as much immediatlie as the churches authoritie Yea and more immediatlie then can be prooued for all these foure estates But be the princes authoritie of God immediatlie or mediatlie of God by man hath not the Christian prince as much authoritie now since Christes and his Apostles time héere in earth as it had ordinarilie before Or did the churche of Christe begin onelie then and not rather from the beginning of the worlde as Gellius prooueth against the Anabaptists that the churche still not onelie in substance of the mysticall bodie and of doctrine but also of the authoritie of gouernment was euen from the beginning of the world one and the same Adam Abraham Moses Iosue the Iudges Dauid Salomon Asa Iosaphat Iosias Ezechias Zorobabell c were all christian princes Had all of them authoritie from God either immediatlie or mediatelie and haue christian princes no more authoritie then is héere allowed Or howe and when where haue they since lost it When we reason against the papists that still pretend the churches Authoritie meaning thereby their popish Hierarchie that they might bereaue all christian princes of their supreame authoritie in Ecclesiast causes we bring foorth the examples of Moses Iosue Dauid Salomon Iosaphat c. If they had not béene in substance grounds of one the same faith with vs Chri. Princes then though not so called as well as these that are called Christian Princes now or if ChristiaÌ„ Princes haue not as much authoritie now as the Princes in and ouer the Churche of God had then then are these examples and the arguments drawne from them nothing to the purpose but the Papists and the Anabaptists will deride them Yea as Saint Paule saithe of the Resurrection of Christe 1. Corin. 15. If Christe bee not risen then is our preaching vaine and your faithe is also vaine and wee are found false witnesses of GOD. So if these arguments for the Princes authoritie from the Olde Testament to the New are not substanciall and good arguments then our preaching and alleadging of them against the Papists and against the Anabaptists is in vaine c. But these arguments of their examples are firme and good standing vpon one and the same perpetuall rule of the Princes charge and gouernement in bothe Testaments so confute bothe the Papists and the Anabaptists Christiâ—n Princes therefore according to the examples of Adam Moses Iosue Dauid c. Haue as much authoritie both mediate and immediate from God as the Ministers of the Churche or the Churche it selfe hath to be Gouernours in the Churche and ouer the Churche of God also or ouer any other of Gods Ministers Not to haue the Ecclesiasticall Ministers peculiar offices and Ecclesiasticall authoritie or to execute the actions
otherwise then precepts of godlie life going before and following in that chapter And yet the Apostle notwithstanding setteth downe all this effect and more to saying Hee therefore gaue some to be Apostles and some Prophets and some Euangelists and some Pastors and Teachers for the gathering togither of the Saints for the worke of the Ministerie and for the edification of the bodie of Christe till we all meete together in the vnitie of faithe and knowledge of the sonne of GOD and vnto the measure of the age of the fulnesse of Christe that we hence-foorth be no more as children c. Héere Saint Paule addeth thrée other things vnto those cited by these our Learned Discoursers For the gathering togither of the Saints for the worke of the Ministerie and for the edification of the body of Christe And yet is no mention at all made of any more offices remainder with vs then Pastors Teachers hauing also ioyned these together as is aforesaid Now then if God doo all this that is héere expressed by Pastors Teachers onely what necessitie is there héere vnto so peremptorilie to enforce these Gouernours vpon vs If they saye yet these may doo good héerevnto that we may the more easily atteine all these effects If they presse vs no further thē with the grace of God hauing Pastors Teachers héere mentioned yea hauing Deacons also without the setting vp of these their other supposed Gouernours we may well-inough enioy all these effects the the Apost nameth But these Disccoursers presupposing the consequence of these effects onlie vpon the establishing exercising of all these 4. offices they shooue further further on the same to assay if they can shooue all other order of gouernment out of the doores saying Now what should be desired more then this in the churche of God I answer that in respect of the inward regiment of the misticall state of the kingdom of Christe or of the necessitie of our saluation nothing néede be more desired thē this But in respect of the outward regiment of the Church and the state of this life Many things as meanes furtherances ornaments héerevnto may be more desired They demande further Or what wisdome of man can espie better than the spirite of God by what meanes this should be brought to effect which we doo desire I answer if the spirit of God haue set downe the order of the regiment of all these foure offices to be the onelie necessarie ordinarie and perpetuall meanes whereby this should be effected then the wisdome of man can espie none better nor ought to espie any other and if it doo it is both follie sin But if the spirit of God haue not set downe this order of the regiment of all these foure offices to be the onelie necessarie ordinarie and perpetuall meanes whereby this should be brought to effect then the wisedome of man meaning the man of God maye safelie set downe such godlie orders of gouernement as shall be best to bring these things to effect They demand againe What mans witte can deuise better then the wisedome of God hath expressed I answer what mans witte can deuise woorse then to tye vs with necessitie perpetuallie to that which the wisedome of God hath either not expressed or not so expressed the he hath perpetuallie bound vs therevnto Or when God hath established an order for the administration of his owne house what presumption of man dare change it Or when God hath not established an order for the administration of his owne house what presumption of man dare vrge it But what dare not dust ashes presume to do against his maker and that with greatest inconuenience whē with best pretences of correcting reforming that which they do thinke to be vnperfect in his doings But what dare not dust ashes presume to doo vnder pretence of his maker of his doings And what dare not vassailes subiects presume to do against their Princes Magistrates established gouernmēt that with greatest inconuenience when with best pretences of correcting reforming that which they do thinke to be vnperfect in their dooings Example thereof wee haue moste euident That which is alledged as the cheefe defence of this disordred state which nowe remaineth in our churche namelie that our fathers of olde time were not content with the simple order instituted by Christe and established by his Apostles but for better gouerning of the Churche thought good some offices to adde thereto some to take awaye some to alter and change and in effect to peruert and ouerthrow all Christian and Ecclesiasticall policie which was builded vpon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Iesus Christe being the cheefe corner stone True indéed the disorderlie dealing of these our Brethren is a moste euident example of all this we néede not runne to olde and farre fetched examples That this state is disordered is but the former standerous and disordered spéeche of these Discoursers Reaching further in such a generall word of state then humble and godlie subiects ought to doo Yea if the state were in some points disordred yet would these spéeches haue béene moderated in better order then so lauishlie to lashe out suche tearmes against the state But if any thing therein were out of order were this the waye to order it better to turne all the orders established cleane out and to bring in new strange orders or olde antiquated orders or that either neuer were or we are not bound to be ordered by Were not this rather the verie high waye to make a more if not most disordered state and to bring all the gouernement established out of order But what order call ye this to saye that is alledged as the cheefe defence c. Namelie that our forefathers of olde time were not content with the simple order instituted by Christe and established by his Apostles Which of all vs dooth alledge this as his cheefe defence or anye defence or alledging at all thereof And which of our forefathers I praye you are alledged and of what olde time doo we alledge them so at randon that a man maye neither know who they be that alledge them what they be that are alledged when where what they alledge yet to say that they were not cōtent but Male-contents as you séeme héerein to shewe your selues not content with the simple order instituted by Christe established by his Apost What simple order do ye meane so instituted established If ye meane the order of regiment of all these your foure offices I pray you where did Christe institute all these foure the Apostles establish them in such order as you prescribe them And I beséech you did not the Apost themselues thinke good for better gouerning of the Churche to adde to some offices that Christe instituted not And with-all I pray you were all the
offices that Christe did institute yea all those that the Apostles added to be simplie so holden for perpetuall offices that neither they nor the Church euer after might take away some of those offices nor alter and change some that were instituted euen by Christe himselfe yea and established by the â—â—ostles themselues in their times but that this must be thus roughly censured to be in effect to peruert and ouer-turne all Christian and Ecclesiast policie which was builded vpon the foundation of the Prophets and the Apostles Iesus Christ being the chiefe corner stone And did S. Paule I pray you in this place mentioning building on this foundation either speake of or meane all Christian and Ecclesiasticall policie If he did not howe dare you adde this sense vnto the Apostles wordes Which speaketh there altogether of our mysticall incorporation into Iesus Christ by the spirit of God and preaching of his word building vâ— into his Churche and habitation and not of any externall forme and order of offices in the Churche builded whether they were perpetuall or to be altered Of the which orders that all were not perpetuall but some to be altered and changed though Instituted by Christe and established by his Apostles for that time the olde Fathers that succéeded the Apostles did so little peruert and ouerturne anie materiall part of the Church of God builded vppon the foundation of the Prophetes and the Apostles Iesus Christ being the chiefe corner stone letting go those orders and offices which were not perpetuall that some of those olde Fathers rather did offende succéeding the primitiue Church in that they laboured to retaine some of those orders and offices still holding and vrging them as necessarie and perpetuall And howe much more then should they offende that when one of these offices presupposed so maniâ— hundred yeares hath ceased in all the whole Churche would nowe goe about and that of necessitie to vrge prescribe the same to all Churches Yea what offence then should we call this when to bring in those offices that haue béene out so long wee should thrust out thâ—se that haue béene continually in to wit the offices of Bishops which were instituted and established in the Apostles times and haue continued euer since notwithstanding any corruptions and abusinges of them euen as well as the office of Pastors and Teachers hath doone which haue likewise béene corrupted and abused And nowe after so manie hundred yeares establishment to remoue the office of Bishops and take it away what were this but to peruert and ouerthrowe a great part of the Christian and Eccles. policie which remaineth But howe vnhaâ—â—ie a successe this good intent as they call it of theirs deserued to haue of God who alwaies abhorreth al good intents of men that are contrarie to the good pleasure of his will expressed in his holie worde the age before vs alas hath felt the present time doth plainely see and we pray God the posteritie warned by examples of their auncestors may take heede of it We defende not nor stande vpon these good intentes of men that are contrarie to the good pleasure of God or his â—â—ll expressed in his holie worde Thankes be to God we knowe God abhorreth it and God be praysed we abhorre it and confesse it hath had and still will haue vnhappie successe But whie speake ye this more to the blemishe of the state of Gods Churches gouernement amonge vs then among your selues Doe we maintaine and enforce as you doe anye such intent Name it If ye say it is this our order of gouernment in Ecclesiasticall matters Prooue it As yet in this your Learned discourse you haue not proued it And if ye can not proue it how do not these your own wordes then with a recumbentibus returne on your selues If ye haue no good intent that is worse If ye haue a good intent as I hope ye haue and can not prooue that this your platforme of Eccles. gouernment is prescribed necessarily vnto vs in Gods worde and ought to be perpetuall in all Churches wil your good intent thinking it so to be excuse you Take you also heede therfore we pray God for you as you for vs that we may both of vs and all of vs be warned by such examples of the vnhappie successe of good intentes of men contrarie to the good pleasure of Gods will expressed in his holie worde But what are these ill euents of these good intentes ye speake of For where there are especially 2. things propounded in the Church of God Doctrine Discipline as if a man would say knowledge and practise by which the glorie of God is sought shineth therin in steed of true doctrine followed all manner of corruptions of the same both in the whole and in euerie part therof as ignorance heresies Idolatrie superstition c. the Discipline degenerated vnto intollerable tyrannie external Domination cleane coÌ„trarie to the coÌ„mandement of Christ whereof ensued all vnbrideled licence of vngodly liuing To be shorte the exchange of the ordinance of God and Christ brought in nothing else but the Deuill and Antichrist This diuision here of Doctrine and discipline which notwithstanding I speak vnder correction séemeth to me somwhat intricate to make these 2. membra diuidentia doctrine discipline answerable to knowledg and practise Which latter twaine knowledge practise make indéed a good diuision For as the one is not coÌ„founded with the other so they 2. do part the whole betwéen theÌ„ knowledg practise But so do not Doctrine discipline Of which the one may be included in the other so they deuide not nor coÌ„prehend the whole betwéen theÌ„ Except ye conclude regimeÌ„t in discipline Where discipline rather should better be conteined in regiment as a part appertaining thereunto But let your diuision goe vnderstand discipline in your own sense which now theÌ„ is made a part of doctrine it selfe here parteth stakes with doctrine albeit it is good to goe plaine euen especially in defining diuiding vpoÌ„ the importance of which two hangeth the greatest moment both of truth perspicuitie in al controuersies that arise And many there be eueÌ„ in these controuersies betwéen vs that talke much of discipline and God wote full litle know they what it meanes Now although Discipline conteine not all the actions practise of the life of maÌ„ which is MembruÌ„ dividens here with knowledge or Doctrine nor coÌ„taine all the regiment of the Church but a part thereof yet because discipline as it is vsually taken is a necessarie part of Regiment true it is that both in doctrin in discipline the glory of God is sought and shineth And this also is verie true that when the good intentes of men are contrary to the good pleasure of Gods wil expressed in his holie worde there is deserued this vnhappie
Wherevpon also it appeareth againe that we said before the estimation of the giftes are to be esteemed according to the profit edification of the church which is set in the confirming of faith religion And Musculus to the same purpose saith Wherfore euen as he there said he that prophesieth speaketh to men to edification exhortation and consolation so heere also when he had said except I speake to you he addeth either by reuelation or by knowledge or by prophesie or by doctrine c. Or by doctrine saith he hee that speaketh by reuelation or by science or by prophesie serueth to informe vs in our faithe and vnderstanding of things either hid or to come But he that speaketh by doctrine serueth to compose our life and frame our manners Thus farre I thinke this terme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this place may not vnfitlie be seperated from the generall doctrine by the which all things in the word of God are taught Hierome also thinketh so for he expoundeth it with this paraphrase except either I interprete it vnto you or make plaine those hidden thinges of the lawe that I know or expound prophesies or teache you morall institutions I knowe that Ambrose diuides not these thinges For he saithe all these signifie one thing For none can teache except it be vnderstood neither indeed can they be Reuelation knowledge prophesie and doctrine except they be vnderstood Wherefore to speake by Reuelation by knowledge by prophesie or by doctrine is altogither to speake with vnderstanding And so dooth Châ—â—sostome expouÌ„d it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. But that which he faith is on this wise Except I shall speake that which may of you bee easilie conceiued and is cleere Notwithstanding in the meane time he forbiddeth not that we may not by a fitte diuision and perteining to the purpose distinguish betweene these things and giue to euerie one his proper sense For as when he said before he that prophesieth speaketh to men to edification to exhortation and to consolation hee expressed the profit of generall prophesiyng so heere he setteth downe certeine parts and instruments thereof or rather founteines For that whereby is one thing and that wherevnto is another thing that the Prophet speaketh in the Churche And therfore saith Gualter Paule setteth doctrine after these things which applieth euerie one of them to the hearers according to the consideration of the places and times that they may serue for the instruction of euerie one And to conclude for the amendment of their life and maners And this is that parte wherein the edification of the Churche and of euerie member thereof doth cheefelie consist c. And to this purpose speaking of these gifts as instrumeÌ„ts to edificatioÌ„ Paule bringeth in the similitude of musicall instruments Whereon saith Gualter we will not thinke that Paule doth rashlie vse this similitude For verie well and elegantlie it shadoweth out the vse of the Ecclesiasticall ministerie and office of the Ministers The Pipe admitteth manie and diuerse waies of tuning and the Citheran or Harpe consisteth of diuerse chordes and stringes and euen so the maner of preaching the worde of God is not one but often in one Sermon with a marueilous harmonie do concurre doctrine admonition exhortation rebukings threatnings and consolations c. This was Saint Paules doctrine for a Doctor whome héere hee calleth a Prophet and for Prophesiyng And which your selues call teaching saying The office of teaching is the principall office that is in the Churche By that wee be taught to know God and how to serue him and what benefits to looke for at his hand Without which knowledge there can be no felicitie but onelie destruction looked for according to the saying of the wiseman Where prophesing faileth there the people perish So that as your selues confesse also that by Prophesiyng is meant this your firste office of Teaching which is indéed being vsed as it ought to be an excellent office But as Gualter saithe on the verse 24. concerning the vse thereof it is not a simple reciting and interpretation of the scripture as you would make it But as we haue heard in the beginning of this chapter suche another as is applied with exhortation consolation to the edification of the whole Churche and of euerye one And therefore it ought so to be exercised that it should pearse into the mindes and conuince them of sinne which propertie Christe sayde should be the worke of the Holy-ghoste in the Apostles And to conclude that it so worke that all may perceiue that they are spoken of But of this chapter you giue more occasion to note héereafter Onelie this now at large for the office of Doctors or Teachers of Doctrine called heere Prophets and interpreters of Scriptures that they were not thus limitted onelie to teach true doctrine and to confute all heresies false opinions by the worde concerning all articles and principles of Christian Religion without applying their teaching to anye particuler state of time of persons or places And nowe let vs sée howe yee can prooue this by examples The example or practise of this office is set foorth Acts. 13.1 where it is recorded by S. Luke that Paule and Barnabas before the Holie-ghoste commanded them to be seperated for the worke whervnto he called them were in the number of Prophets and Doctors with Simeon Niger Lucius of Syrene and Manahen in the Churche of Antiochia where they continued in that office a whole yeare in which Citie the Disciples were firste called by the name of Christians Act. 11.26 Likewise Apollos which was an eloquent man and mightye in the Scriptures firste at Ephesus but afterward being more perfectlie instructed in the waye of GOD by Aâ—uila and Priscilla in the Churche of Achaia exercised the office of a Teacher with great profite of them which had beleeued and to the great confusion of the stiffe-necked Iewes while hee prooued plainelye by the Scriptures that Iesus was the Christe Acts. 18.28 For the practise mentioned in the Scripture this might suffice that is noted by Sainte Paule in this chapter 1 Corinth 14. with the iudgements of all these writers yea of themselues concerning these prophets that were Doctors and of the manner of their teachings But now bicause for this practise and example héereof these our Bretheren the Learned Discoursers haue héere set downe some other examples also to prooue this practise let vs follow and peruse the same And first note this that these examples héere alleaged mention no perpetuitie much lesse prooue it nor any prescribed rule vnto themselues much lesse to others And bicause of all the persons héere named Act. 13. Barnabas is first and Paule is last the other haue little record saue the bare names let vs looke vpon this first and last as the more notable by whom we may leuell the others as lesse knowne And héere at the entrie in
saithe Luke the Churches through-out all Iurie and Galilee and Samaria had peace and were aedified and they walked in the feare of GOD and were replenished with the consolation of the Holie-ghoste Wherevpon saithe Caluine Luke signifieth that the presence of Paule was a greeuous prouocation to the enemies of the Gospell For whie did peace so suddenlye shine vnto the Churches by his departure excepte that euen the sighte of him did prouoke the furie of the enemies Neither is this turned to him for a reproch as though he had been as it were a Trumpet for a battell but Luke rather setteth downe this for his commendation that hee draue the enemies to a rage euen with the onelye smell of his approching neere vnto them For so woulde Christe triumphe in him that hee should sprinckle vpon the Churche no lesse molestation then renowne Wherefore by this example we are admonished that they are not streight-wayes to bee condemned whoe doe more enflambe the rage of wicked men then other do Which admonition is not a little profitable For as we are too softe and louing of our owne quietnesse so nowe waxe we angrie with the best and moste excellent seruants of Christe if by their vehemencie wee thinke the euill will-be stirred vppe to hurte vs. But by this meanes wee bee iniurious against the spirite of GOD whose force and breathing hath kindeled all this flambe Thus as we still sée the zealous manner of S. Paules teaching so when afterward Act. 11.25.26 Barnabas being also an other Teacher and exhorter and hauing such an excellent gifte therin as is aforesaid and yet knowing he was in these things especiallie in the vehemencie of exhortation application and persuasion nothing comparable to Paule as appeareth Act. 14.12 Where the Licaonians called Barnabas Iupiter and Paule Mercurie bicause hee was the cheefest speaker yet Barnabas sought out Paule and found him and brought him to Antiochia And they were conuersant with the Churche saithe Luke a whole yeare and taught much people in so muche that the Disciples were the firste called Christians in Antiochia Shall wee now thinke that Barnabas haueing begone so soone to ioine exhortation to his teaching and that Paule being more vehement in exhorting than he they bothe of them left their former trade of teaching and all that whole yeare fell to a newe trade to teach onelie without exhorting admonishing rebuking comforting and with-out applying their teaching to any particuler state of time of persons or places Neither is it any thing likelie neither the texte inferres it neither dooth any learned writer so gather on the texte that I haue yet séene neither dooth it accorde with such a frutefull sequele Their preaching saithe Marlorate was so effectuall and so fruitefull So that their continuance the whole yeare in teaching was in such teaching as was preaching which consisteth much in exhortation admonition application c. and apperteineth to the office of a Pastor Wherevpon saith Gualter Let the Ministers of Churches follow this example And while they persuade perseuerance to other they themselues perseuer constant in their office neither let them glorie in the bare name of a Pastor but let them doo that which becometh true Pastors Least they seeme to be followers and successors of that foolish pastor that is described in Zacharie the eleuenth chapter So that S. Paule practising all that whole yeare at Antiochia the offâ—ce of a Doctor as these our Learned Discoursers saye and this Doctor preaching and shewing an example for Pastors to followe howe is this anye example for suche as muste not meddle with the Pastors office But neither héere nor at anye time else that I can finde Saint Paule euer practised the office of suche a Doctor But looke as he began so without anye alteration for this pointe of ioyning exhortation admonition application to this doctrine he still continued For as I noted before on these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 While they were ministring vnto the Lorde that is as Beza and the Geneua Margine noteth while they were preaching and calleth it a publike charge as the Apostleship was and the Apostles were not tyed to suche an office as taught without exhorting or applying so dooth not the Holie-ghoste saye héere Separate me Barnabas and Saule into another office then they were in before but for the worke where vnto I haue called them Which worke was still the same that it was before though doone in other places For Paule changed not héere his office as though he had béene but a Doctor â—ntill nowe and now was made an Apostle for as he continued a Doctor sâ—ill so hee was an Apostle before And looke what manner of Teaching he vsed after he vsed before And as before so he still continued in his teaching Wherevpon saithe Caluine But heere Luke saithe that Paule was ordeined by voices which seemeth not to be agreeable to Paules words Gal. 1.1 Where he denieth that he was called either of men or by men I answer he was created an Apostle and that not by any mens voices long before that hee was sent vnto the Gentles And had alreadie exercised his Apostleship for manie yeares when hee was called to the Gentiles by a new Oracle Wherefore in that respect that hee had God the author of his Apostleship he doth not vnworthilie exclude men Neither doth he now command him to be ordeined of the Church that his calling should depend of the iudgement of man But that decree that was knowne as yet but to a fewe God dooth now set foorth the same by a publike edict and command it to be sealed with a solemne subscription of the Churche The sense therefore of the words is Nowe is the time that Paule must spread the Gospell among the Gentiles and pulling downe the wall Ephes. 2.14 Collect a Churche out of the Gentiles who before were strangers from the kingdome of God For although hetherto God vsed his trauell at Antiochia and in other places this peculiar pointe is added now at length that God would adopt togither the Geneiles into the selfe same inheritance of life with the Iewes Howbeit if he had been created Doctor thus euen from the beginning neither yet then had he beene called by man For when as the Lorde pronounceth that he was called of him what remaineth for the Churche but obedientlie to subscribe thereto For neither is heere the iudgement of man placed betweene as in a doubtfull matter neither haue the voices freedome But we must hold that which I said that Paule and Barnabas are not now at lengthe ordeined in the order of Doctors but an extraordinarie office is enioyned that they should begin to set foorth at large the grace of God in common to the Gentiles And this doo the words sound when it is said separate to the worke for no doubt it signifieth a newe worke and as yet vnaccustomed But how is Barnabas ioyned heere a companion and
meane in the Gréeke verbe following when ye saye and in the worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 call ye that also an appellation because yée saye it signifieth to feede or gouerne as a Pastor doeth his sheepe And howe chance then yee adde not the 3. appellation and of gouerning also call him a Gouernour Fuâ—ye adde onely as a Pastor doth his sheepe And whie not also as a Gouernour doeth his people For else the terme of Pastor might haue sufficed What doe ye shunne of purpose the appellation of Gouernour here also included and giue the appellation of Gouernour to your other Elders whome yée call as it were by their proper name Gouernours and pull it from Bishoppes least you might séeme perhaps to ouerthwarie your selfe and inferre by giuing them the name also of Gouernours that they exercised Dominion and authoritie yea perhaps ouer whole Regions and all the Pastors of the same Which is yâ— thing that of all other yee can-not brooke But let the proofe of that fall out after as it shall out of this place as yee prooue nothing to the contrarie so if yée meane by these three distincte appellations eyther plainely spoken or included that Bishoppes are Ouer-seers are Pastors and are Gouernours then it followeth that these thrée seuerall appellations haue thrée seuerall respectes Ouer-sight or superioritie of vewing and examining the states and dueties of them whom they ouersee as Ouerseers feeding by preaching the worde of GOD and ministring the Sacramentes the foode of the soule as they are Pastors and gouernement which what it implyeth besides these two former I referrâ— to euerie indifferent concluders iudgement If nowe ye would conteyne this thirde vnder the other two ye should both confounde your selues and these thrée concurring appellations So that the exercise of dominion and authoritie of iurisdiction and discipline in the Church of God appertayning to the office of Bishops is eyther plainely or inclusiuely to be inferred of this place euen by our owne obseruation thereon Which exercise of authoritie and dominion howe farce it reached whether ouer whole Regions and all or anie the Pastors of the same shall more and more appeare by further discussing that which followeth Where is to be noted that Bishops or Ouer-seers of one Citie were manie which plainely argueth that they were none such as nowe-adaiâ—s are commonly called Bishops which can be but one in one whole Diocesse much lesse manie in one Citie Although we néede not greatly stande on this whether those Bishops that were called together by Saint Paule were at that time moe than one there continually resiant being so headde and famous a Church as Ephesus was and so in that point were different from Bishoppes nowe-a-dayes yet may they well be such in manie other more necessarie materiall and nearer pointes to the point nowe in hande though in this or some other point they were not such Would to GOD all in Christendome that haue the name and office of Bishoppes nowe-adayes differed no more but in this The Popishe Bishoppes differ in manie moe and farre greater And yet all in all the offices of a Bishops differ not though they all abuse their office diuerse wayes As may an euill Prince and a good Prince and yet both Princes As Aaron and Caiaphas both Bishoppes as Peter and Iudas both Apostles And so may there be both Doctors Pastors Gouernours and Deacons so well as Bishops good and badde And much lesse difference being both good and differing only in number of the persons and not in the principall substance of their office In which point is not so great difference as these our Learned Bretheren wéene For diuerse times there haue béene two or moe Bishoppes at once in one sée Whereupon such were in the auncient time named 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Coepiscopi as Clemens Linus and Cletus by diuerse mennes opinions all Bishoppes of Rome together And as Hierome Catalogo scriptornm Ecclesiast telleth of Alexander Bishoppe of Capadocia comming to Hierusalem where Narcissus was Bishop he was made Bishop ioyntly with him and both of them together ruled the Churche of Ierusalem Although this haue the séeldomer happened and orders since â—aue beene made to the contrarie as at the Councell of Nice c. to auoyde emulations and contentions and the immitation of suffragranes yet to this day testifieth the same Nowe although this be plaine ynough to be no such materiall matter To conclude that Bishoppes be it they be more together in one Diocesse or in one Citie haue no authoritie ouer other Pastors but that all Pastors are of equall dignitie and authoritie yet if this were denied I meane for this place here alleaged Act. 20. can it be necessarilie inferred thereupon The text it selfe say you plainelie argueth it So are they named Actes 20. where S. Luke in the 17. verse calleth them Elders of the Church of Ephesus What say ye my Maisters dare yee auouch these woordes for the text it selfe in déede and in distinguished letters Reade the text better and you shall finde these wordes VVherefore from Miletum he sent to Ephesus and called the Elders of the Church Doeth this of necessitie inferre that they were the Elders of the Church of Ephesus Meaning by Elders only the Pastors or ministers of the worde and Sacraments to the which purpose yee alleage it and not the Elders that yée call Gouernours which as ye afterward say medled not with teaching for theÌ„ ye shold alleage it cleane amisse for Pastors And I pray you do ye thinke there were then the Church there being so lately founded manie Pastors or ministers of the word and Sacraments abiding at that one Church of Ephesus It is not likely considering that time For in the Chapter before saue one Chap. 18.19 is the firste mention made of Ephesus howe Saint Paule comming thether entered into the Synagogue and disputed with the Iewes who desired him to tarrie a longer time with them but he would not consent but bad them fare-well c. After whose departure came Apollos as is aforesaide verse 25. The same was instructed in the way of the Lorde and he spake feruently in the spirite and taught diligently the thinges of the Lorde and knewe but the baptisme of Iohn onely And hee beganne to speake boldely in the Synagogue c. After whom Cap. 19. ver 1. Paule returning came to Ephesus and founde certaine Disciples and saide to thâ—m haue ye receaued the holy Ghost since yee beleeued And they sayde vnto him we haue not so much as heard whether there be a holy-Ghost c. And all the men were about twelue ver 7. So that all this while there was yet no great number of sufficiently enstructed Christians much lesse of Pastors and all in the Synagogue of the Iewes at Ephesus But it followeth in the text of their encrease ver 8. Moreouer he went into the Synagogue and spake boldly for the space of three
with Arius and the Arians But the coniunction of Meletius and of the Arians had the originall on the foresaide occasion Thus much at large and word for word vpon the occassion of this our most reuerend and learned mans obseruation of that Epiphanius reporteth against the Meletians concerning them of Alexandria I thought good though it bée long to set downe out of him to the end wée mighte more throghly sée what these not Miletians but Meletians were in many pointes not much vnlike our brethren At the first concerning doctrine Pure in the faith of Christ which I hope also our brethren yet be and as sound in the substance of Christian religion I trust as either these Meletians were or we are but they were so seuere in certaine points of their pretended Discipline howbeit admitting the superior dignity and authority of bishops ouer Priests or Pastorall elders and of Archbishops ouer Bishops euen in the heat of their sorest persecution before the time of Constantine the great As also at the beginning did our brethren with vs though they dissented in diuers other points of Discipline yet they stil acknowledged as did the Meletians both the Bishops and Archbishops superior dignities and authorities which these our brethren now reiect against whom they haue made such a schism of the Church of God that we may euen looke vpon and lament the like tragicall diuision among vs that for too rigorous discipline fell out among them In so much that although both of vs professe the fayth of Christ aright yet will not nowe our brethren ioyne in publike prayers with vs but separate them selues asunder and as these men did make priuate assemblies and orders among themselues in their publike prayers ministration of Sacramēts make bishops Ministers and Deacons of their owne seuerall churches But what the issue was of these Meletians wee haue heard and may fear and in part alreadie do féele among our selues God be merciful to vs both and giue vs grace in time to foresée and take héede that the publike aduersaries of the gospel or any other old or new fangled heretical sectaries neither of the Anabapt nor other like haue their finger in this pye And that this great zeale to obtaine the hauing of these seperate conuenticles discipline ministery communion praiers c. do not ioine with them against vs their brethren least in the end their former synceritie of fayth and life be stained by them On this occasion two bishops together but the one of this faction might spring vp in one City But the faithfull in Alexandria where from this sprang stil acknowledged but one the same there and then an Archb. and the B. in al that Prouince and euery where else to be superior in dignity authority to al other preests or pastoral elders Howbeit Socrates li. 1. ca. 3. faith further of this Meletius that he himself had bin before depriued of his bishoprick by the Archb. Peter for y◠same fault wherein Mel. shewed such rigor against other whereby this diuision grew not only betwene the right beléeuing Christians and the heretikes but also among the faithfull themselues Wherupon saith Socrates great tumults was raised euery wher For ye mightsee not only the gouernors of the churches vexing one another with contumelious termes but also the multitude of the people to be distracted into 2. parts wherof the one enclined to these mens opinion the other to theirs insomuch that the matter fel out to that mischief shameful state that the christian religion was euen on the very theaters mocked at with the derision of all men As for those that dwelt at Alexandria they contended of the chiefest points of our religion youthfully and not without tauntings They sent their legates to the other B. of euery prouince but these deuiding their selues on either partie raised vp the like contention Yea the Meletians were intermingled with the Arians who not long before were seuered from the church But of what sort these also were I think it meete to bee declared Meletius a B of a certain city in Egypt was depriued of his episcopal office by Peter B. of Alexandria who in the reigne of Dioclesian died by martyrdome both for many other causes and chiefly for that in the time of persecution he had denied the faith and had offered vnto Idols who when he was depriued and had very many that cleaued vnto his faction he gaue himself to be the ringleader of that heresie vnto thē which from that time euen till this day are in Egypt called the Meletians And when he could alleage no iust excuse or cause why he seperated himselfe from the church he said that he had onely in a terme an iniury offered him And he began to reuile Peter with raylings and to deface him with reproches And as soone as Peter had by martyrdome in the rage of persecution suffered death he turned his reproches vpon Achillas that succeeded Peter in the bishopricke and afterward a fresh against Alexander who after the death of Achillas obteined the degree of that dignity And while these were thus occupied in this strife and dissention◠in the mean time was holden the quest concerning Arius whome Mel. with those that were of his side assisted conspired with Arius against the B. Thus saith Socrates also of this scisme Theoderetus doth tel li. 5. cap. 3. of another Meletius afterwards in Gratians time that when in Antiochia the chiefest citie in the orient the professours of the apostolical opinions were also deuided into 2. partes the one part streight wayes after the practises attēpted against Eustathius the great detesting the Arian wickednes making their assemblies among themselues had Paulinus to be their B the other part after the creation of Euseb. beeing with the notable Meletius deuided frō the wicked beeing exercised amōg those dangers that we haue mentioned were gouerned by the doctrin of the most wise Mel. Besides these a third head gaue it self to the factiō of Apollinaris a Laodicean who putting on the person of godlines when he was reputed as though he would maintain the apostolical opinions not long after he shewed himself to be an enemy of them c. But the Duke Sapores being entred into Antioche when the law of the emperour was set foorth Paulinus affirmed that he was of the parts of Damasus Apollinaris also who couered his disease affirmed the same As for holy Meletius maintained quietnesse nor lapped him selfe in theire contentions but the moste wise Flauianus beeinge as yet a Preeste or Elder firste turninge to Paulinus in the hearinge of the Duke did say if you my freend reioyce in the community of Damasus see that you proue the coniunction of your opinions For he in the confession of one essence preacheth manifestlie three persons of the Trinity But you contrariwise take away the trinity of the persons Wherefore teach vs the consent of your opinions and
the first Chapiter is that a Byshop ought Towne by Towne to ordayne Ministers of blamelesse life and of sounde doctrine Whereby he may stop the seducers mouthes and blame such as teache peruerse thinges that they may at length become sounde and repent In which wordes he signifieth that both Titus was a bishop and that generally all such as are Bishoppes haue a Superiority ouer Pastors and Ministers both to ordeine them and to correct them And vpon these wordes For this cause I left thee in Creta c. Hee saith Hauing finished the Preface and salutation he treateth of well ordeyning those thinges that were of Paule omitted by reason of his sudaine departure and of ordeining byshoppes in euery Towne Because hee woulde not haue a want of gouernment in the Churche but that all might bee doone in order and decentlye hee woulde that some man notable in life and Doctrine shoulde bee the gouernour to ordeyne the Ministers and to dispose all thinges rightly in the Church which shoulde take heede that no heresies shoulde arise Which to conclude shoulde studye that all things should bee done orderly neyther yet heereupon is the primacy of the Pope nor their tyrannicall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or freedome of liuing after their owne lawes and iurisdiction of the papistes which they challenge to themselues established For they serue not our Lorde Iesus Christe but endeuour them selues with all their might to extinguish the light of the gospell that by the goodnesse of God is kindled Albeit they are greatly defeated of their opinion for the bloude of the martyrs is as it were the best oyle for it causeth that the light of the gospell being kindled doth burne the more That thou mayest correct the thinges that are desired that is that thou shouldeste rightlye dispose those thinges that are desired in the ecclesiasticall ordination For Paule as it seemeth hauinge layde the foundation went vnto some other place as hee that was the Apostle and Doctoure not of one Nation but of the Gentiles leauing in the meane season among the Cretensians Titus which shoulde set in order those thinges that hee him selfe in so short a time had not furnished Note that the office of a Byshoppe in generall is to dispose rightly all thinges in the Churche And that thou shouldest in euery Towne ordeyne Preestes or Elders And the cheefest part of the Episcopall office is to ordeyn fitte Ministers of the worde c. Neyther onely doth Hemingius write thus on the occasion of these wordes of the Apostle to Titus then the which wee neede no playner testimony but also vppon the fourth of the Ephesians concerning Pastors vnder which name our Brethren woulde shelter Preestes or Elders and byshoppes not onely to bee alwayes equall but all one and the same Hemingius sayth Pastours were those whome at this day wee call Parochos Parish Preestes these were placed ouer certayne Churches that by preaching by administring the Sacramentes and by a certayne holy Discipline they mought gouerne them These are not for a time but their office is necessary in the Church euen vntill the Iudgement Doctours are these whome the Churche in times past called Catechizers whose office was to prescribe the forme of Doctrine and to deliuer the foundations of the Doctrine which the Pastours afterwardes shoulde followe Such as at this day teache the youth Religion in the schooles These haue regarde that the true interpretation and a iust measure of teaching bee reteyned in the Churche Howbeit notwithstanding in the time of the Apostles the manner of promoting as it is nowe in vse was not yet receiued Neuerthelesse we must vnderstand that the godly gouernors of the Churches and of the schooles ordeyned the degrees of promotions vppon good and profitable counsayl both that the arrogaunte shoulde not vsurpe to them-selues this Title of honoure without the Iudgemente of the Churche and also that suche as were fit men mighte bee acknowledged by the publike testimonie and bee had in price Neyther this contrary to the dignity of the Ecclesiasticall Hierarchy which is commendeth order and comelinesse to the Church it leaueth vnto her the righte of ordeyning the customes which seeme to make for order and decency Wherefore there is no cause that wee shoulde regarde these speeches of the proude spirites of suche as contemne these Ecclesiasticall degrees if so bee that they vnto whome such degrees are collated shall remember that they are not the badges of the contempte of others or of arrogaunte Supereminency but rather the publike Testimonies of the duety that they owe to the Church and whereunto as it were with a publike Sacrament they be bounde But perhappes the aduersaries obiect that the Churche maye not knowe Pompe but shoulde haue the triall of Fayth and of holye life of prayer and the laying on of handes I aunswere it is nothing vnfitting for Christians to bestowe or collate the Testimonyes of learninge and honestye vppon those that are godlye and learned men that the Churche maye knowe vnto whome shee mighte safely commende the gouernment and the care of Doctrine Neyther hindreth it that such promotions haue nowe of long time beene abused so that the defilings of them being wiped away wee maye retayne the thinges that to the Churches and to the Schooles are profitable Again they make exception and say that the Lorde prohibited to be called Rabbi and Masters on the earth because one is Master I aunswere the same L. saith we must not call father on the earth who notwithstanding in his Lawe commaundeth the parentes to bee honoured Wherefore that forbidding is not to bee vnderstoode of the appellation or naminge but of another matter besides that the circumstaunce of the place doth sufficiently conuince what is the meaning of that forbidding For hee addeth He that is greatest of you shall be your minister Again he that exalteth himselfe shal be humbled The Lorde therefore woulde not that the appellation of Father or of Master or of Doctoure shoulde bee taken awaye but the arrogant trust therein Hee woulde not haue that wee shoulde like of our selues if wee seeme to excell in anye giftes Hee woulde haue vs that wee shoulde not arrogantlye preferre oure selues before others but rather that hee whiche is the greatest shoulde make him selfe the Minister vnto all Hee woulde not haue vs deuise anye newe Doctrine but that in matters of saluation vve shoulde followe our onelye Master Iesus Christe But as for that they vrge the sayinge of the Apostle Iames who sayth My Brethren bee yee not many masters knowinge that yee shall receiue the greater iudgement It is easily refelled For Iames in his forbiddinge setteth downe this reason For wee slippe all of vs in many things The sense therefore of this forbidding is that we woulde not bee rough controllers of other mens manners Thus sayth this excellent learned man Hemingius of these degrées and Titles of Schooles and Ecclesiasticall promotions and in his Sintagma
famousâ— writers approoued practised and confirmed and yet what signifieth this name Hierarchie in effect also which Caluine only héere misliketh but an holy principalitie or sacred gouernment not different from this name Ecclesiasticall regiment which title our brethren here allow so often in this their Learned discourse of Eccl. gouernment Let vs now therefore returne to procéede on their learned Discourse Finally S. Peter chap. 5.1 the place before alleaged comprehendeth all the three names of Elders Pastors and Bishops The Elders saith he which are amongst you I beseech The name of Pastor is vnderstanded by relation of the names of feeding and the flock which he vseth also by the name of Archipoimen which signifieth the chiefe of Pastors whiche is our Sauiour Christ. The name of Bishop or Ouerseers is included in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth them which do carefully exercise the office of Bishops or Ouerseers His exhortation is this The Elders which are amongst you I beseech which am also a fellow Elder and a witnesse of the sufferings of Christ and also a pertaker of the glory that shal be reuealed Feed the flock of God which is committed vnto you so much as in you lyeth carefully ouerseeing not by constraint but willingly Not for filthy lucre but of a ready minde Not as exercising Lordship ouer the haeritage but that you may be examples to the flock And when the chiefe Pastor shall appeare you shall receaue an vncorruptible crowne of glory S. Peter in this place reproueth three notable vices which do great hurt among the Minist of the Church if they be not taken heed of slouthfulnesse in teaching couetousnes of lucre ambitious desire of exercising Lordship exhorting them to painfull diligence bicause they were B. or Ouerseers to a ready care bicause they were Past. therefore should labour for loue of the flock not for lucre like hirelings to humility because their chiefe dignity in that they were Elders excell in godlinesse that they might be an example to the flock which cannot be except they submit themselues and their liues to the coÌ„mon rule of other men which most excellent vertues if they embrace they should be sure to be plentifully rewarded by him who onely deserueth to be called the chiefe of all Elders Pastors and Bishops to whome onely these honorable names of Archipresbyter Archiepiscopus Archipoimen and such like do properly agree For as the Apostle calleth our sauiour Christ in this place the chiefe Pastor so in the second chap. the 25. verse he calleth him both the Pastor and Bishop of our soules Wherefore as he onely is our chiefe Pastor or Archipoimen so is he also our onely Archbishop And that the name of Archipresbyter or cheefe of Elders pertayneth to no mortall man may be seene by this place where S. Pet. that excelleÌ„t high Apost who if any maÌ„ could might as wel as any haue challeÌ„ged that name durst not cal himself other then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a fellow Elder no not when he fought authority to himself by that name to be bolde to exhort the Elders of the Churche But leaste anye should thinke we stay onely in names tearmes which are not so greatly material let him consider that S Peter expresly forbiddeth the Elders to exercise Lordship ouer their seuerall congregations how much more ouer their fellow Elders Héere are cited two testimonies out of the Apostle S. Peter The former 1. Pet 5. v. 1.2.3 4. Out of which our Brethren firste doe gather that Peter exhorting the Ministers of the Church comprehendeth al the three names Elders Pastors and Bishops indifferently Elders plainly Pastor vnderstanded by relation of the names of feeding and the flock by the name of Archipoimen which signifieth the chiefe of Pastors which is our sauiour Christ and the name of Bishops or Ouerseeers is included in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth theÌ„ which do carefully exercise the office of Bishops or ouerseers Now although we may most easily graunt all this as nothing preiudiciall to the question Yet see what slender arguments these are that bicause a name may be included or by relation of some sense may be vnderstanded therefore the name of Bishop in this or that place so included muste alwayes be as ordinary proper a name as is the name of Prieste or Elder by the which he is expresly tearmed We denie not as we haue often before shewed but that both the tearmes and the offices also that the tearmes purporte were then for a while vsed indifferently but whether the vsage of them afterwarde that in the Apost times more properly to one among the Pastors or Elders of the Churches were vsedwell is to be continually reteyned that is héere the question S. Peter calleth that expresly al Christians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a holy sacerdotal Priesthood as also S. Iohn calleth theÌ„ Kings Sacerdotal Priists in expres tearmes not inclusiuely And many other tearmes by relation of vnderstanding may be very aptly applyed to manie men and yet we may not these-vppon make proper names of them Euery Ouerseer is not a Bishop nor euery Shephearde a Pastor nor euery Elder a Minister of Gods word The name of Elder is vsed of S. Peter euen immediately aâ—ter this allegation cited not for a Minister of the word of God ver 5. as Beza noteth Heere the reason of the Antithesis requireth that we should take this name concerning age and not concerning dignity But if it be to be taken in the firste verse as Beza taketh it saying The name of Prieste or Elder is generall comprehending all them that are as I may tearme them of the Senate Ecclesiasticall vulgarly Seniors how then doo our Brethren héere saye that S. Peter there comprehendeth all the three names of Elders Pastors and Bishops and so restrayne it onely vnto those that are Teachers and Ministers of Gods word Concerning the collectioÌ„ that our brethren gather out of S. Peters words ver 1.2.3 and 4 That hee reprooueth three notable vices slothfulnesse in teaching couetousnesse of lucre and ambitious desire of exercising Lordship and that if these three be not taken heede vnto they do great hurte among the Ministers of the Church All this againe wee confesse is true And euen because these three must be taken heed vnto we therfore with all the fore-said holy fathers and godly Learned men do thinke it very conuenient and needefull that there should be amongst the Elders Pastors and Bishops some superiors to call vppon them as Peter did and to Ouersee that such as are slouthfull in teaching shoulde bee orderlye caused to be diligent in teaching so much as in them lyeth And suche as are couetous of lucre should be taken heed vnto and either remoued or so reformed that both in taking and in spending the goods of the Churche they should so
the publique Prayers also the forme and manner of things with what authority then do our brethren take vpon them to traÌ„spose in the Church of England that which the Church of England hath disposed with what authority can they abrogate or alter the dayes and times of preaching administring the sacraments that the Church of Engl. in like maner by her authority hath disposed with what authority can they dispose assemblies commâ—â—gs together of the people to bee made in other places than to that purpose are disposed with what authority can they controul or disobey the form manner of the publike praiers vsing those thingâ— in the ordinary seruice that the church of Eng. hath disposed to be vsed yet they wil not only refuse to vse thosethings the form manner of publike prayers nor only deface reuile them as naught but set forth oppose against that which by the churches autority is disposed another forme maner of publike prayers of their own disposing Yea if wee were disposed to examine better their owne positions how standeth this with their prayer on the other side of the leafe pag. 69. saying God graunt therfore that in steed of ordinary formes of praier we may haue preaching in all places If the church haue authority to dispose for publike prayer the form manner so that al things be done comely agreeable to order but especially that in all thinges principal regard be had to edification then not only a forme of publike praiers hindreth no whit but furthereth comlines order edificatioÌ„ but also the church vsing her authority in disposing of an ordinary form of publike praiers so well as in disposing the daies times places for preaching it cannot be that preaching in all places shoulde bee had in steed of publike praiers but that both of them should stil continue in their dayes and times places forme and manner by the Churches authority disposed And what followeth hereupon but that either our brethren must denie the Church of England to be the Church and so not to haue authority of their disposing of these things or els granting it to be the Church that is to say a particuler Church for I think they wil not say that they mean this only of the vniuersal church nor yet of euerie seueral congregation for so our Bre. assertion were not true but speaking heere indefinitely that the church hath authority to dispose these thinges they mean euery whole state of any true particular Church in Christendome As the Church of England in Engl. the Scottish Church in Scotl. the Heluetian the Geneuian the French and the Dutch Church in their owne states Which being confessed our Brethren beeing neither the Church vniuersall nor the whole state of the particular Church of England but priuate members in the Church of England and though some numbers of them heere and there collected may make some seuerall congregations yet are they not of sufficient authority no not so to collect themselues or haue any autority of making any assemblings or commings together at all in any place being but priuate persons without the disposing of them that haue autoritie in the Church or of the whole estate of the church of England therunto then must they néedes confesse withall that they doe greatly offende in going about to gaine-say and ouerthrowe this authority of the whole Church of England which hath by her authority so much as in her lies disposed ordeined and established these thinges as touching the circumstaunces for order and comelinesse sake but cheefely for edification as the dayes and times of preaching and administring the sacramentes the places meete for the same and for publike prayers also for the form and manner of vsing those things that all thinges be done comely and agreeable to order but especially that in all things principal regard bee had to aedification Nowe when the Church of Englande hath by her authority and by the authority of the supreme gouernor of her vnder Christe and of all the gouernors ecclesiasticall or politicall of her whole estate thus disposed these thinges Is it lawfull for any priuate persons bee they learned or vnleâ—rned be they few or many in the same Church to resist this autority whether this be to resist euen God or no and whether that which Saint Paule wrot to the Romaines Chapter 13. charging them beeing Christians to obey their Ciuill Magistrates though euil and Heathen in ciuill and indifferent matters do not much more binde euery particular priuate Christian all Christian subiects to obey their Christian Magistrates and all good Christian both Ecclâ—siastical and politike gouernors the whol particular estate autority of their own church wherof they are but priuate members I refer it to euery indifferent readers iudgement to our Bre. own answere on better aduisement of these thinges If our Bre. deny that they haue euer done or yet doe resist the Church of Englands authoritie in disposing these things what was all this that was last spoken of against the ordinary form of publike praier diuine seruice besides the authority it selfe of the ecclesiasticall gouernors and many other things of circumstances for dayes times places and administrations of Sacraments that they so vehemently impugne If they say that herein yet they doe not resist nor speake against the Church of Engl. for her authority to dispose these things but resist and speak against her onely for this that the she hath abused her authority and that she hath encroched further than shee hath lawfull authority to warrant her doing for that her authority as touching these circumstaunces is but for order and comelinesse sake and cheefely for edification and that it is to bée restrained with this limittation So that all thinges bee done comely and agreeable to order but especially that in all thinges principall regarde bee had to edification which S. Paule so often and so precisely vrgeth in the 14. Chapter of the Cor. Neither do we desire to haue the Churches authoritie in these circumstances to bee enlarged one inche further And euen so God bee praysed hath the Church of Englande had and especiall consideration of al these 3. points of comlinesse of order and of edification If they thinke not so acknowledging her to bee a true Church except they can proue it better than hitherto they haue done and yet should they prooue the same also if they coulde with more modesty and humility than they attempt to doe they both offer too great an iniury to their true and louing Mother the Church of England whose Children if any children of the Church they be and bewray too great a partiality to their owne opion And more séemely of the twain it might be thought to all good men that as they confesse their Mother hath authoritie giuen vnto her by their Faâ—her of disposing these circumstances to these ends and
Churches nor yet with Caluine in Geneua Melancthon in Analis Locorum com saith Confirmation among the auncients was a triall of doctrine in which they that were to be coÌ„firmed did recite the sum of the Christian doctrine Whereunto was added publike praier for them But of the Apostles was added also imposition of hands which the manifest giftes of the holy ghost followed As for that popish confirmation is altogether a voide and idle ceremony Neuertheles in the meane time it should bee profitable for the triall of doctrine to be made with the publike prayer for them Which certeinly should not be in vaine Herbandus in compendio theologia following Melancthon and writing of confirmation sayth What doost thou think of Confirmation properly it is not a sacrament But in the ancient time it was a triall of the Doctrine made in the Institution of Christian religion as the Catechisme is among vs in the which they that were Catechised did render a reason of their faith and did testify that they embraced this onely religion and to dissent from Ethniks and from heretikes Which being publikely done of the B. the prayers of the Church were added with the imposition of hands At which imposition in the time of the Apostles they were manifestly endued with the holy ghost As it is manifest in the Acts the 19. chap. Afterward by successe of time when myracles ceased in the Church the ceremony of the Imposition of handes was neuerthelesse reteined Whereby those that were baptised were prepared to the Christian conflict by the prayers of the Church and solemn blessing were confirmed But the age that came after thrust vnto the Church a certaine feigned confirmation for a sacrament c. Thus writeth also Herbandus of this matter He husius in examine theologico loco 18. de sacram What thinkest thou of Confirmation the answere Confirmation is not a Sacrament For it is not an externall action peculiarly commaunded of God neither is it a seale of the promise of grace The auncients searched the profiting of Children in the doctrine of the Catechisme and those that were rightly instituted they admitted to the holy Communion This is a laudable discipline in the Church if superstition be absent Kemnitius after he hath confuted the Papists errors of Confirmation These thinges saith he being thus vnfolded the examination of the canons of confirmation shall bee easy and playne For whereas that the first cannon condemneth such a confirmation as consisteth in a Catechisme and childrens profession of the faith it hath this meaning and reason Our men haue often shewed that the rite of confirmation the traditions vnprofitable superstitions repugnaÌ„t to the scripture being remoued both it may be vsed godly and to the churches edification according to the consent of the scripture after this maner to wit that they which are baptised in their infancy for such is nowe the state of the church when they came to the yeares of discretion shoulde be diligently instructed in a certaine simple catechism of the churches doctrine and when they seemed to hane meetely well perceiued the beginnings they shoulde afterwarde be presented to the Bishop and to the church And there heare the child that was baptised in his infancie which shold first with a short a simple warning bee admonished of his baptisme to witte that he was baptized howe and why into what hee was baptized what the whole trinity gaue sealed vp vnto him in that baptisme the contract of peace the couenant of grace how the renouncing Satan the professioÌ„ of faith the promise of obedieÌ„ce was there made Secondly the childe him-selfe shoulde before the Church declare his owne and the publike profession of this doctrine and faith Thirdly she shoulde be asked of the principal points of the Christian religion he shold answere to euery one of them if he did not so wel vnderstand them he should be better instructed Fourthly he should be admonished and this he shold declare in his profession that he dissenteth froÌ„ all heatheÌ„ hereticall phanaticall and prophane opinions Fiftly a graue and serious exhortation out of the worde of God should be added that hee should perseuer in the couenant of baptisme and in that doctrine faith and with often profiting be confirmed Sixtly a publike prayer shold be made for those children that God with his holy spirite woulde vouchsafe to gouerne keepe and confirme them in this profession To the which prayer the laying on of handes may bee adhibited without superstition Neither shoulde that prayer be vaine for it relieth on the promises of the gift of perseuerance and on the grace of confirmation Such a rite of confirmation shal bring with it very much profit to the edification of youth of the whole Church For it were agreeable both to the Scripture and to the more pure antiquitie For in the Apostles laying on of their hands that there was a triall of doctrine profession of faith the history Acts. 19. manifestly doth witnesse Of the exhortation also vnto perseuerance of the confirming them by the worde in the doctrin faith which once they had receiued the examples of the apostolicall Church are extant Actes 14.15 18. And that publike prayer was adhibited the history witnesseth A 8. Thus speaketh the 7. Canon of the Council of Laodicea the 8. of the Council of Aries concerning the triall and profession of doctrine faith in confirmation as we haue before noted And therfore the Canon of the Council of Orleaunce requireth a perfect age in confirming Neither agreeth this euill hereunto that Dionisius in the end of his ecclesiasticall Hierarchie writeth of thâ— Master of the catechisinges when the children baptized in their infancy were deliuered to be instructed that they might with doctrine and exhortations betrayned vp to perfourme keepe the profession of the faith the renouncing of Sathan and the promise of the obedience of God made in their baptism These thinges were proposed in the conference at Ratispone in the yeare 1541. And so hee telleth howe Eccius in the name of the papists did vtterly proudly reiect all these thinges affirming that in confirmation the vse of reason must not be tarried for Thus notably and at large doth Kemnitius also declare and approoue this good order and rite of confirming children and howe contumâ—liously the Papistes doe reiect it This therefore sauoreth nothing of popery nor of any other error or superstition but is Godly reuerend and very beneficiall to youths and to the whole Churches edification And what doth Caluine in his Institutions differ from these concerning the auncient custome of Confirmation In the ancient time saith he this was the manner that the children of the Christians after they were growne vp were presented before the Bishop to fulfill that office or duty which was exacted of them that being of ripe yeares offered themselues to baptisme For these sat among them that were catechized vntill such
gouernmēt in these Elders continued in the Church to wit while the Church wanted a politike Magistracie As who say the gift of this gouernement in the Elders is ceased long since and not now necessarie the Church hauing a politike Magistracie in whom the gift of gouernment is still necessarie and not in such Elders And in this sense I denie not Caluines interpretation Gouernours I interprete Seniors which were the Presidentes of Discipline For the first Church had her Senate that helde the people in the honestie of maners which thing Paule declareth otherwhere whē as he setteth downe a double order of Elders the gouernment therfore consisted of Elders which excelled others in grauitie experience and authoritie So that although Caluine distinguish the order of these Elders into two sortes as doe our Brethren which yet no necessitie doth enforce neuerthelesse he both restrayneth this their gift of gouernment to the honestie of maners not to any Ecclesiasticall orders and he maketh this office and Senate not to be perpetuall but as a thing that ceased he sayth prima Ecclesia habuit the first Churche had her Senate as who say it went no further And so wee may say The first Churche had Apostles Prophets Euangelistes and diuerse giftes of healinges miracles tongues c. The ordinarie offices of which giftes haue long since ceased And therefore we can nowe make no ordinarie nor necessarie plea vppon them nor the gouerning Ecclesiasticall Elders that our Brethren would erect are suche Elders To the larger and better manifestation whereof Gualter expounding this worde Gouernmentes sayth The seuenth place in this order setteth downe gouernmentes by whom is comprehended politicall men which in matters of this world helped any bodie and tooke intelligence of their causes if any shoulde arise among the Christians For as it is sayde in the sixt chapter the Apostles would not that those which professed Christe should contende for their goods or for other matters pertayning to this life before the tribunall seates of the Ethnikes Prudent men therefore and exercised in the vse of matters were appointed to the ouersight of such causes By whose authoritie and Councell the contentions were decided The same also were publikly present with the Church if any thing were to be done before the Proconsuls or the presidentes Which thing there is no doubt but that it hapned oftentimes To conclude they with their Counsels and prudence euen as it were certaine shipmasters gouerned the Churches being then tossed among the diuerse daungers of matters At this day there is not in publike such neede of such persons sith that as we haue aboue-sayd the Magistrates are Christian by whose authoritie all these thinges may more happily be dispatched And we ought to acknowledge the singular benefite of God which in these last dayes vouchsafeth to giue vnto his Church both politike and Eccl. Gouernours euen as in the olde time hee promised by Esaias Let none therefore lightly disturbe the order instituted of God that trampling downe the authority of Princes and of Magistrates he shoulde institute a newe senate that shoulde challenge to themselues a right and Empire or authority of commaunding ouer them This thing in the olde time did certaine Bishop◠perhaps of a good zeale Howbeit that matter turned at the length into a Pontificall tyranny for the ambition of a fewe did vtterly ouerturne the Christian state Let the Princes knowe againe that they are the members not the Lords of the Church And therefore let them vse their Empire to the defence thereof and direct all their counsailes to this scope that the order and safety thereof may be preserued Thus euen where Gwalter speaketh against the abuses of Princes of the Popish Bishops yet doth hée acknowledge both their lawfull authorities and sheweth what the authority of this seniory was to wit a méere publike gouernment all in seculer and not in ecclesiasticall matters and how long it continued how vnnecessary nowe it is howe it is not the order instituted by God for vs but the very disturbance of it and that this senate can not be nowe brought in a new without the trampling downe of the very Princes Magistrates authority To conclude these gouernmentes that S. Paule héere nameth are nothing that grace gift or office which our Brethren héere pretende for their senate of gouerning Elders Which Gwalter rather likeneth vnto the gift of powers which S. Paule before in that place did mention In the fourth place saith Gwalter proceeding these gifts are reckoned vp powers for those that exercise lawfull power in the Church These were seniors which beeinge set ouer the Discipline corrected them that had done any thing contrary to the duty of a Christian man As for the wicked and obstinat they corrected them with a greater power of the spirite For they were armed with a singuler gift that they might also deliuer vnto the deuill to be afflicted those that coulde not with admonitions and reproouinges bee corrected Examples of this power were shewed from Elias and Elizeus in the olde time Of whome he to witte Elias burned vp with flames sent downe from heauen the souldiers that were sent to take him But this man to witte Elizeus called foorth the Beares which tore in peeces the Children that more saucily mocked him By the same vertue or power Peter slue Ananias and Saphira which presumed to lye vnto the holy Ghoste He deliuered also Simon Magus to destruction Paule also vsed this power against Elimas the sorceror whome he depriued of his sight for that he proceeded to deceiue the proconsul of Cyprus with his lies The same Paule writeth that he deliuered to Sathan Himeneus and Alexander that being striken with some punishment they might learne from thence forth not to blaspheme And hereto also ought to bee referred that which in threatning manner he sayth to certaine obstinate persons in the second Epistle to the Corinthians but if I shall come again I wil not spare you sithe that ye seeke the experiment of Christe speaking in me For in these wordes hee insinuateth not obscurely that with his wordes hee had a vertue ioyned of perfourming that which hee spake and of correcting his contemners And in the olde time there was altogether neede of this faculty of the spirite when as the Churches had not a Magistrate therefore could not vse the right of the sworde There is no necessity to require the same at this day when as the gift of this spirite hath ceased And the Princes and Magistrates are Christians who with lawes and publike authority restraine any whosoeuer in their office and as for the stubborne and frowarde they punish them Some in-deede there are which after the example of the auncient and primitiue Churche will institute seniors or a Senate Ecclesiasticall which may haue Empire or commaundement euen also ouer the Magistrates them-selues if they at any time shall
thus indefinitlie and in generall that the authoritie of Christ is lefte vnto his whole Church and so to euerie Church But that certayne partes of the authoritie of Christe is lefte and that in a certain legantine and ministeriall manner vnto his whole Church and so to euerie Church And yet not so that euerie Church that is euerie particular congregation hath as full authoritie of that part as the whole Church hath but that the whole or to euerie Church it is so lefte that none maie chalenge Episcopall or Metropoliticall authoritie as it is with vs at this day ouer other without great tyrannie and manifest iniurie This indéed is a méere we saie it not we proue it Against this our Brethrens we saie as though all laie on their bare saying and that whatsoeuer they saie we must holde it by and by for an oracle or for such a principle as the Pythagoreans did the saying of their Maister 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he said it Wee haue heard at large what Saint Paule hath said to Timothie and what a number of most excellent men in the primitiue Church and some immediatlie after the Apostles times by the cléere testimonies of the vnsuspected histories and auucientest fathers and by the graunt of the best late writers in the reformed Churches haue had both Episcopall and also Metropolitical authoritie as it is with vs at this daie ouer other without anie tyrannie great or little without anie iniurie manifest or hidden at all And if they might haue it they might chalenge it Yea to chalenge them for it much more to take it from them were rather not onelie the greater tyrannie and more manifest iniurie of the twain but to saie the authoritie of Christ is left vnto his whole church so to euery church that none in the church hath anie power or exercise thereof ouer other is the greatest and most manifest confusion that can be For by this rule we must not saie as our Br. héere doe Let vs then see what is his authoritie ioyned with others first who are so ioyned in commission with him that without their consent he can doe nothing but we must rather saie Let vs then see what is his authoritie ioyned with others and first who are not so ioyned in commission with him that without their consent he can doo nothing if the authoritie of Christ be left vnto his whole Church so to euery church that none may chalenge it ouer other So that now there shuld not only be no Metropolitical authority ouer Bishops nor Episcopal ouer Pastors but also no pastorall authoritie ouer the people For the people are some bodie as I take it both in the whole Church and in euerie Church also Yea if these words which our Brethren so generally saie we saie therefore that the authoritie of the Church is left vnto his whole Church and so to euerie Church be not restrained to that parte of his authoritie that consisteth onelie in the Ecclesiasticall regiment of his Church it will as much indanger all Magistrates ciuill estates that they haue no authoritie neither ouer other For they hold that also of Iesus Christ and it is a part of his authoritie ouer his Church But howsoeuer that may stande or fall héereby the Princes supreame authoritie in Ecclesiasticall causes ouer all persons Ecclesiasticall and ciuill in their dominions is cleane taken awaie from them euen as wel as the Metropolicall ouer the Bishops or the Bishops authoritie ouer the Pastors Nowe although this moste absurd and moste daungerous confusion of all authorityes Ecclesiasticall and ciuill might ensewe heereon Yet our Brethren hauing promised héerein that they woulde be bolde to say these sayings and hauing hethereto though boldly yet but barely saide them they will nowe bée bolde as good reason is they shoulde to assay to proue them For seeing our Sauiour Christe promised his presence and authority to euery Churche indifferently Mathewe 18.19.20 None may challenge any such prerogatiue afore other but as the churches are limitted out for order and conueniency so is euery one of them of like authority in it selfe but because they make all but one Church and one body of Christe therefore there is but one authority in them to determine of matters concerning them all This argument still relying on this former cited sentence Mathew 18.19.20 which properly treateth of the efficacy of prayer where the faithfull although they be in neuer so small a number assembled to make their petitions in Christes name are promised that God the Father will graunt their requestes and that Christ also will bée present among them neither comprehendeth all the authority that Christe hath left vnto his whole Church or to any especiall persons in the same neither if it bée drawn to matters of gouernment and authority is any debarre against any particular auth of any Pastor more thā of any Christian Prince or magistrate For how followeth this Christ will be present where 2. or 3. are gathered together in his name therfore wher but one maketh his praiyers alone vnto him he will not be present except our bre can bring this exclusiue only or at the least into this promise of Christ that where 2. or 3. only or two or three at the least are gathered together in his name hee will bee present with them If then this followe not in prayer wherof this sentence properly is spoken howe much lesse doth it holde if wée stretch this promise of Christe to matters of gouernment in the church as I graunt it reacheth also thereto As to reason thus Christ hath promised that where two or three bee gathered together in his name to consent on the establishment of any authority or gouernment of his Church his presence and authority shall bee among them therefore if the Christian Prince eyther by him-selfe and his supreme authority doe establish any thing in the Church or though hee ioyne other with him yet not in authority but as counsellors or though in authority also yet not as equall in authority with him except hee and they and all gathered together in the name of Christe bee of the like authority in giuing their consents vnto the matter neither Christes presence will bee with them nor his authoritie will ratifie their doing If this reason holde not but bee an vntrue and moste daungerous resolution in these matters that are done of the christian Prince neither yet of him alone but of other in cōsultation with the prince but the only superior and supreme ouer all other which are all partes of the Church and assembled about matters of the Churches Gouernment doth it holde anye more against Bishops and Pastors How agréeth this euen with their own assertions afterward Pag. 114. of Iames his prerogatiue in the assembly of the Elders at Ierusalem Was not the holy ghost among them because one had this prerogatiue Neither helpeth it that they say this
but horrible confusion And yet can they giue their consent to choose suche persons without horrible or any confusion And how is it sayd to be their authoritie in such matters wherof they thēselues cannot performe the hearing determining without horrible confusion And is the authoritie then not the Gouernors but the peoples authoritie And the Gouernors do but represent the people whom they gouerne And are chosen onely as the peoples or the whole congregations debities or executioners to do that for them that they can not performe thēselues without horrible confusion And is this the peoples only remedy to repose such confidence in other that they cōmit all their authoritie vnto the authoritie of these Gouernours And may not these committies themselues vpon such confidence committed vnto them committe as horrible confusions and bréede as foule dissensious and disorders as may the people themselues Are not all these pointes besides a number mo and perhaps more horrible that experience would teach vs confused and intricate And hereto also say our Breth may be referred that which is said of election of Pastors that the Apostles Paule and Barnabas did ordeine by election of the congregatiō Elders vnto many Churches Act. 14.23 because the name of Elders is cōmon both to Pastors Gouernors and is vsed in the scripture to cōprehend both at once as it appeareth manifestly by S. Paule 1. Tim. 5.17 Those Elders that gouerne well are woorthie of double honour especially those that labour in the worde and doctrine Of which testimonie we learne these three thinges first that there be Elders in the Church which meddle not with teaching but are occupied altogether in gouerning Secondly that the Elders which labour in teaching otherwise called Pastors are ioyned also in gouernment with them which teach not And thirdly that the name of Elder comprehendeth both sortes of Elders And especially in the place before alleaged for election there is great reason to lead vs to thinke that the Elders for gouernment are as well vnderstoode as the other for doctrine because it is written in the same place that after they had ordeyned them Elders in euerie congregation by election as hauing set the Churches in perfect order which could not be except they had established discipline as well as doctrine they committed them to the Lorde in whom they beleeued To confirme that which our Brethren haue so boldly affirmed that there ought to be in euerie Churche a Consistorie or Segnorie of Elders or Gouernors which ought to haue the hearing examination and determining of all matters pertayning to discipline and gouernement of that congregation they alleage here againe the example of the scripture Act. 14.23 which they haue before twise or thrise alleaged and is sufficiently aunswered vnto But their proofe for the election of these Consistorie gouernours standeth vpon no certaine grounde by our Brethrens own confession For they say not hereto also must be referred that which is saide of election of Pastors c. but hereto also may be referred c. So that this example relying at the most but on coniecture of probabilitie can make no sounde plea of argument that so it must be alleaged Neuerthelesse vpon good hope to proue it our Brethren will assay to bestow an argument on it And if they reason at all thus they reason The name of Elders is common to both to Pastors and Gouernors and is vsed to comprehende both at once But Paule and Barnabas did ordaine by election of the congregation Elders vnto many Churches Therefore by these Elders that Paule and Barnabas did ordaine vnto many Churches is comprehended Pastors and Gouernours both at once This conclusion in sensu coniuncto may be graunted For what doth this conclusion let but that these Elders were Pastors and Gouernors too both at once being Gouernors in that they were Pastors If they mean it of distinct persons and offices then if the maior of this argument meane that the name of Elders is so common to both that is to say to Pastors and gouernors as distinct persons that it is vsed alwaies to comprehend both at once I denie the Maior The scripture is most manifest to the contrarie and their selues also Otherwise graunting the Maior that it is so vsed nowe and then to shewe that it is so vsed in this place heere cited by our Brethren in their Minor howe will they prooue it Which if they doe not where is the argument But what néede we séeke further confutation of their Minor than their owne Learned discourse heereon Haue not their selues alleaged this example for Pastors Page 33. treating there onely of the Pastors proper dutie and ioyning this place Act. 14.23 vnto the conciliation of these 1. Pet. 5. and Tit. 1.5 Yea what other are their owne wordes here present Do they not say And hereto also may be referred that which is sayde of election of Pastors And whereas the text sayth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they restrayne here the woorde Presbyters Priestes or Elders vnto the Pastors So that by their owne exposition they doe but hale and draw this place to proue such gouernors as are not Pastors I speak not this that I vtterly denie there were any such Elders in the Apostles times as were chiefly gouernours little dealing with the publike ministerie of the worde in such places as they wanted Magistrates that were Christians but that these Gouernours as wee haue séene at large out of Gualter vpon 1. Cor. 12. and out of Gellius Snecanus on 1. Cor. 6. were rather as Magistrats among thē in those times which persons hauing receaued of the spirite of God the gifte of gouernement the name of Elders I graunt accordeth also well vnto them And so both in the olde Testament and in the newe the Ciuill gouernors are called Elders But these were not Eccl. Elders And that this place Act. 14.23 is to be referred to no other Elders then Pastors the testimonie also of Caluine euen where he acknowledgeth that there were such Elders as medled not with the ministerie of the worde doth manifestly herein cōfute our Breth When they had created Elders Hereupon sayth Caluine it appeareth that it sufficeth not for men to haue been once indued with the doctrin of godlines to hold a summe of the faith except they make continuall encreasementes Therefore Christ not only sent the Apostles that should spread abroad the Gospel but also he commanded that Pastors should be ordeyned that the preaching of the Gospel should be perpetuall and in daily vse This order set of Christ do Paule and Barnabas obserue when they assigne Pastors to euery Church least that after their departure the doctrine should cease and become silent Whereupon this place teacheth that the Churche can not want the ordinarie ministerie neither can they bee accounted Christians before God saue those that willingly are disciples all the race of their life I
of the Bishops howe were these Elders the praesidents or Gouernours or not rather the gouerned And hee speaketh of them that obtained the honour of their gouernment or Praesidentship not by price of money but by testimonie All which accordeth with our Breth owne saiâ—ngs for the election of Bishops and pastorall Elders And hee speaketh of such tried and approued Elders as Paule in pastorall Elders gaue charge to Timothie But when withall he vseth for their gouernment that verie terme which he vsed in other places speaking also of the Christian assemblies as in his booke de Corona militis where he saith Eucharistia Sacramentum et in tempore victus et omnibus mandatum a Domino etiam ante-lucanis coetibus nec de aliorum manu quam de praesidentium sumimus The Sacrament of thanksgiuing is commanded of the Lord both in the time of repast in al times yea also in our asseÌ„blies before the breake of the daie neither do we receiue it at the hand of anie other thaÌ„ of those that are our PraesideÌ„ts or Gouernors Whereby it is plaine that those of whom heere he saith Praesident probati quique Sentores the Seniors that are Praesidents or that gouerne are euerie one of them tried or approued men wer euerie one of them none other but such as ministred the SacrameÌ„ts of consequence teachers of the word And of such Elders gouerning in the Church of Christ of none other speaketh Clemens Alexandrius who also was an elder in office in time was somwhat elder thaÌ„ TertulliaÌ„ li. 6. Siromat He is in verie deed saith he an elder of the Church a true Deacon that is a minister of Gods wil if so be he do teach the things that are of the Lord not that as he is ordained of meÌ„ neither that he must be accouÌ„ted righteous that is an elder but that he which is righteous should be brought into the eldership c. Wherein making also afterward the degrée of Elder to be in dignitie different from placed betwéene Bishop Deacon he acknowledgeth no such kinde of Elder gouerning the Church in hiâ— time that is not a teacher of the word And the same also is manifest in Irenaeus who in his first booke against heresies ca. 12. saith against the heretike Marcus Wherefore iustlie and aptlie vnto such thy blindnesse the diuine Elder and fit preacher of the truth inueighed against thee c. And in the 2. booke cap. 39. speaking both of Elder in age and office he saith of Christ And so hee was a Senior or Elder among the Seniors that he might be a perfect master in al things not only according to the exposition of the truth but according to age sanctifieng together also the Seniors or Elders himselfe becomming an example vnto theÌ„ c. And againe But because the age of 30. yeres is of a young man of his first towardnesse and stretcheth to 40. euerie one wil graunt that from the 40. or 50. yeres he now declineth into an elder age which age our Lord hauing he taught as the Gospell all the Elders testifie which assembled together vnto Iohn the Disciple of the Lord. And the same thing did Iohn deliuer vnto theÌ„ Now although herein Iraeneus fouly ouer shoote himselfe in Christs age more regarding the relation and tradition of the Elders than exactlie considering the iust time yet still he acknowledgeth those that were called Elders not in yéeres but in office concerning the Ecclesiasticall state of Christ his Church to be such as taught the witnesse relation of those things that were deliuered them by the Apostles though they remembred not so well the Apostles reckoning And this he hath more plaine li. 3. ca. 2. when againe we chalenge them that are against the tradition to come to that traditioÌ„ which is from the Apostles which is kept in the Churches by the succession of the Elders they will say they being more wise not only than the Elders but also than the Apostles haue found out the sincere truth And li. 4. ca. 43. Wherfore it behoueth vs to heare these Elders that are in the Church those which haue their succession from the Apostle as wee haue shewed who with the succession of the Bishop haue according to the decree of the Father receiued a sure grace or gift of the truth And in the next Chapter But such as of many are supposed to be Elders but serue their pleasures c. froÌ„ all such therefore we must abstaine cleaue vnto these which as wee haue also said before keepe the doctrine of the Apostles with their order of the Eldership shew forth the sound word their conuersation without offence to the information and correction of the residue Wherunto alleaging the examples of Moses Samuel and S. Paul he saith Euen as the Apostle Paul when he was of good conscience sayde to the Corinthians For we are not as many are adulterating the word of God wee haue corrupted nâ—ne we haue circuÌ„uented none such Elders doth the church nourish Of whoÌ„ also the Prophet saith And I will giue thee thy Princes in peace and thy Bishops in righâ—eousnesse Of whom also the Lord said VVho therefore is a faithfull agent good and wise whom the Lord shall preferre ouer his familie to giue them meate in time Happie is that seruant whom the Lord shall find so doing when he coÌ„meth What can be plainer than this to shew that by the name of these Presbyters Priests or Elders in the gouernment of the Church Irenaeus alwaies meant such as were teachers of the word and none other Iustine the martyr in his defence of the Christians vnto the Emperour Antoninus mencioneth as we haue séene one onlie gouernor of the congregation whom he calleth the chiefe brother But he telleth withal that he maketh the exhortation to the congregation before the receiuing of the Sacrament he offereth the praiers and thankesgiuing first celebrateth the whole action of the Lords supper the Deacons deliuer the bread the cup to euerie one present of other Elders or Gouernors among theÌ„ that I can find he maketh no mencion As for Ignatius because our Bre. in their pamphlet of the learned mans iudgemeÌ„t for the 3. kinds of Bishops do allow of the Bishop mencioned in Ignatius by as good reason they haue also to allow of his Elders Deacons For almost in euery Epistle if they be the Epistles of Ignatius he mencioneth especiallie these thrée maketh the Elders the successors of the Apostles In the first Epistle to the Trallians he saith Be ye subiect to the Elders as to the Apostles of Iesu Christ concerning our hope in whoÌ„ perseuering we shal be found in him And therfore ye must by all meanes please the Deacons which are for the ministerie of Iesus Christ for they are not ministers in meate and drink but of the ministerie of the Church of God
themselues and whosoâ—uer of their familiars or neighboures or by other meanes they haue ioyned to them which haue giuen their name to Christe that diligentlie and freelie they admonishe them And when anie shall proudly contemne their admonitions they shoulde declare the contemners of the admonition vnto the Churche which they haue among themselues either of the companie of their neighbourhoode or otherwise of familiarity or to conclude by reason of kinred or family Which Church if they shall continue to contemne shall declare the matter to the common Ministers of the whole Church that they also in the name of the whol church may warne theÌ„ And if they shal go on to contemne the word of the Lord they shal also excommunicate them or else the selfe same Church in which they are peculiarly known and familier shall then not admit them to the holy communion vntill the Lord shall restore vnto vs a iust policy in the Church and a true censure But howsoeuer all thinges are yet mixed together and perturbed notwithstanding if the Ministers of the Worde will with a good fidelity imploy themselues in their office they shall easilie restore the moste part of the Christian Censure without any disturbance or cutting in sunder of the Church which a faythfull Minister of Christe will by no meanes bring in who knoweth that to him all power is giuen in the Church to aedification not to destruction and that it is more appertaining to his office from euery place to gather them togither vnto the kingdome of God yea the blinde the deafe the weak than to driue them out of it Of the true moderation of the ecclesiasticall censure S. Augustine wrot many thinges against the Donatistes But the cheefest place of this matter is in his thirde booke against the Epistle of Permenian Wherein this man of God moste prudently gaue charge of the correction and excommunication of the euill persons that seeme to be in the Church This place cheefelie at this time were of vs with singuler deligence to bee reade and throughly weighed Thus writeth also Bucer on thiâ— matter where he complayneth most of the lacke of this Discipline and where hee somewhat agréeth with Caluine in alleaging this reason That when Christ spake those words there was no face of a Church that professed his name And yet doth he so litle gather hereupon this vnnecessary consequence that Christe alluded to any Seniory among the Iewes to be reuiued among the Christians when they shoulde haue Discipline in the Church that hee acknowledgeth by the name of the Church nothing else but as the name importeth the whole congregation Neither yet that the whole congregation shoulde excommunicate otherwise than not to permitte the man to receiue the Communion but the common Ministers of the church onely to denounce the excommunication And leaste we shoulde vnderstand thereby any Seniorie not teaching the worde he declareth withall that they be the onely Ministers of the Worde and that to them and to their office the exercise of the power of binding and losing is â—omâ—itted though the power in generall by the churches But Caluin sayth that in the name of the Church the Lord did speak as though it were of the vsuall and receiued manner if he so did then he spake of the present state either of the true Church among those few that professed his name or of the Iewes Synagoue But Caluin saith after that it was not the counsell of Christ to send his disciples to the Synagogue But to allude vnto the old order of the church and not to the present order had not beene to speake according to the vsuall and receiued manner why shoulde we not therefore rather thinkâ— that Christ spake of such order as should be afterward vsed in the Church among the Christians eyther for such states and times as the church was in or to continue then of such order as eyther in the olde time had bene or at that present was in the Synagogue among the Iewes But now if wee should graunt to Caluine and to our Brethren that Christe alluded in these wordes vnto the assembly of Elders that was among the Iewes is this ynough also to inferre that the Law or rule that Christe prescribeth must stretch to the establishment and continuance of the same order or to the erection and Institution of a like order as that was whereunto in these wordes he alluded if this be a good argument let vs see the force of it euen in the present example whereof Caluin himselfe giueth an instance There is no doubt saith he but that Christe alludeth vnto the order of the church euen as also in other places he fitteth his speach vnto the knowne custome when hee biddeth that the gift which we will offer shoulde bee left at the Altar Math. 5. d. 23. There is no doubt but that hee woulde teach vs out of the present and legall forme of the worship of God that wee can not orderly pray nor offer any thing to God so long as we are at strife with our Brethren These words are indéede apparant to be an allusion of these tearmes Altar gift and offering to the present and legall forme nor can be vnderstoode otherwise as the word church may whith is more properly vsed among vs christians than euer it was among the Iewes Whereas the wordes Altar gift and offering were more proper to the Iewes than vnto vs. But doth it followe that because Christe in setting downe this rule of reconciliation alludeth for the plainer vnderstanding of the people to such speeches of Altar gift and offering as were then more vsually receiued and knowne among theÌ„ that therefore he ment withal to establish and cary away in his rule the same maner of Gods worship at an Alter by a gift and offering as was then vsed receiued known among them If it do not in this present instance that Caluine himselfe bringeth in as it is most clear it doth not can Caluine then or any of our learned Br. or al the world infer that if Christ did allude in the term of Church to an Eldershippe or consistory among the Iewes in prescribing his rule of Reconciliation or excommunication that therefore hee continued or renued or constituted the same or the like order among the Christians Or if he looked vpon their Discipline that therefore he ordeined the like to continue for euer did Christe establish euery thing that he onelie speak of or but looked vpon But saith Caluine It should haue bene absurd to haue propounded the iudgement to the church which as yet was no church Although this againe be not altogether so that there was no church yet what if ther had bin none theÌ„ had Christ in these wordes no further respect but to the present time if he had not how shall any perpetual rule be grounded hereon And if he respected a perpetuall order of his church why shoulde we rather vnderstande it
of the oâ—der of the church at that time among the Iewes which was forthwith to bee dissolued than for the state of the church that he would erect that shoulde among the christians bee continued But what nowe was this order among the Iewes that Caluin and our Brethren say Christe alluded vnto and looked vpon Moreouer saith Caluine when as the power of excommunication belonged to the Iewes that were seniors which susteyned the person of the whole church aptly doth Christe say that those which haue sinned if they shall eyther proudly contemne the first admonitions or scoffingly exclude them are then at length to be brought foorth publikely vnto the church That the Seniors among the Iewes had the power of excommunication is not in question but what Seniors they were which had that power Whether a chosen number out of the auncients of the people or such as were onely of the Preestes and Leuites I speake it for that power of denouncing excommunication Not but that I grant they had other Elders for other matters But that either or both these Elders represented the person of the church beeing the heades and Gouernours of the church I sée no such aptnesse in the representation The head representeth not the body nor the body the heade And yet the subiectes may more aptly represent by substitution the person of the gouernors than the gouernors may be sayde to represent the person of the Subiectes And no doubt Christes wordes were moste apt and proper for the matter that he spake of For as Caluine sayth of bringing foorth the matter publikely to the church if he had meant of them that were but Elders or gouernours or admit also they were representers of the church yet shoulde he not haue spoken so aptly as if he had sayde if he had so meant tell the Elders or gouernors or represeÌ„ters of the church And not tel the church which is a great deale more improper and vnapter spéech We knowe saith Caluine that from the time that the Iewes returned out of the captiuity of Babylon the censure of the manners and of the doctrine was committed to a chosen counsell which they called Synhedrin in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This was a lawfull regiment approued of God and this was a bridle to reteine in their duety the froward and such as would not learne To prooue that there were such a chosen councell among the Iewes to whome the sensure or controlment of manners and of doctrin was committed Caluine heere assigneth the time after the returne from the captiuity of Babylon which councell was called Sinhedrim in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And he sayth God approoued it and that it was a lawful regiment and a good Bridle against the wicked I meruell that Caluine fetcheth these Seniors among the Iewes from so late time as after their returne from Babilon And yet hee nameth no time when after their return they were created that we might haue turned to it and séen what persons they were and what office was committed to them Danaeus to make this more cleeare in his foresaide introduction 2. part lib. 2. cap. 10. saith But to determine strifes and as out of Socrates li. 7. cap. 37. may be gathered which example we haue before perused to take vpon theÌ„ to be Iudges and Arbitrators I neuer read that it was the office of Elders or part of their office For although the presbytery or Synedrion of the Iewes which was the same Act. 22. vers 5. 30. And Math. 5. verse 22. seeme to aunswere to our presbytery and iudged oftentimes of certain causes Notwithstanding our Presbyteries do not iudge and therefore are different from those from Iudaicall because those partly had political and partly Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction both at once as appeareth Esd. 10. ver 8. But ours haue onely ecclesiasticall If this which Danaeus saith be true that that Presbeytry Act 22. be the same Presbytery with that mentioned Esdras 10. We finde it then indéede as Caluine saith after the returne out of the captiuity of Babylon But how then doeour Learned discoursing Brethren say The like whereof he willed to be established in his Church Will these our brethrens Seniors contrarie to that which Danaeus saith take vpon them politike and Ecclesiasticall Iurisdiction both at once And so in-déede these our Bret. plainly say the Synedrion had the hearing and determining of all difficult and weighty matters among the Iewes Here is nothing left out bee it in politike or Ecclesiasticall Iurisdiction so it be a waighty and difficult matter And our brethren apply it to vs saying The like whereof hee willed to be established in his Church for administration of Gouernment So that nothing here remaineth entiere to the Prince and nobles to the Iudges and Magistrates for our Gouerning Seniors must haue all or a stroke in all But the authority of the Presbytery Act. 22. was much abridged concerning the Politike Iurisdiction as we shall God willing sée anon And yet who were those Seniors in that presbytery Actes 22. ver 5. Paule sayth the cheefe preest doth beare me witnesse and all the Presbytery of whome I receyued letters vnto the Brethren and went to Damascus to bring them that were there bounden to Ierusalem that they might be punished And in the thirteenth verse speaking of the capteine that kept paule prisoner he sayth on the next day because he wold haue knowne the certainty wherefore he was accused of the Iewes he losed him from his bonds and commanded the high preestes and all their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Councell to come together And he brought Paule and set him before them Here are both these tearmes Presbytery or Eldership 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Councell These were all in-déede Controllers of Doctrine as Marlorate well noteth out of Brentius commending the aequity and prudent doing of this Tribune Who because hee was ignoraunt of the Iewish religion he woulde referre the cause of religion to the Councell of them that were the Prelates of religion So that here this councell séemeth to haue beene all of those that were teachers of Doctrine for such are or shoulde be the Prelates of religion But did God allow of this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If it were all one with that before mentioned Esdras 10. Wee may well say with Caluine It was a Lawfull regiment and approoued of God But this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Actes 22. was not a Lawfull regiment nor approoued of God and therefore it was not the same that is mentioned Esdras 10. But a degenerate corruption of it Neither was that in-déede called eyther 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Sanedrin or Synhedrin nor any such Greeke name or any corruption of that name begun among the Iewes in Esdras time The Babylonians had no dealing with the Graecians Neither the Iewes till after the conquestes of Alexander the great who translated the Monarchie to the Graecians and so withâ—l
these wordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ionathas the high Priest and the Senate or Eldership of the Nation and the other people of the Iewes send greeting to the Spartanes their brethren And in Iosephus Ant. itq Iud. 13. c. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Ionathas the high Priest of the Nation of the Iewes and the Eldership and the Comminaltie of the Iewes c. These things doo manifestlie argue what was then the forme of the Iewes Common-weale how they were returned to that former mix Policie For first Ionathas is set downe as the Prince then the Senate which terme comprehendeth the superior and inferior Iudges last of all the people it selfe And that in these tearmes it is apparant they did it not to the Romanes and Lacaedemonians to make a shewe it is said 1. Macchab. 12.35 that Ionathas called together to an assemblie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the Elders of the people to treate of building the Fortresses in Iurier c. But those whome the author of the booke booke of the Machabees calleth the Elders of the people Iosephus calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the whole people So that either in their names come all the Citizens which is properlie called the people or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the Senate to wit that superiour Senate which when it representeth the people is called the people it selfe This sense of the Senate especiallie of the superiour Seniors is héere verie violentlie by Bertram wrested as I vnder correction take it for the People Being the Gouernours of the people and so cléerelie distinguished from them betwéene the Prince and the People But his conclusion is this Heere certainlie it seemeth that this former time of the Machabees had somwhat more of the popular state and of the best mens gouernment than of a kingdome For when all is done both Bertram Caluine Beza Danaeus and these our Learned Discoursing Brethren enâ—line moste to this estate that moste declineth from a kingdome And so we should quickly come to a good estate of Regiment the Prince being ouerruled by the Senate and the Senate representing but the people and so all comes to the state popular as it was among the Graecians and the Romaynes Which in short time would bring England and all Christendome into a proper state And of this estate he alleageth further many mo instances 1. Mat. 13.36.14.20.27 41 42. c. Besides still his confirmations out of Iosephus And so lesse or more the authority of the Synedrion continued for by this time after the Gretian Monarchie it had gotten that corrupt Sanhedrin of Synedrion til Gabinius subdued the Iews vnder the Romanes Who restoring Hyrcanus to the high preesthood distinguished saith Bertram pag. 84. The nation of the Iewes into fiue Courts or session places of these Elders and to euery court assigned his Synedrion And here loe began the corruption of the state by making many Synedrions as our Br. now would do The Synedrions of Ierusalem ministred the Lawe in the territory of Ierusalem Gadarens in Gaderene territory c. So that saith Bertram nowe their affayres might be lawfully administred not by the gouernment of one but by the decree of the cheefe persons But nowe when in this goodly estate Iulius Caesar had made Antipater the Father of Herode to be Hyrcanus procurator and that these Elders and cheefe persons complayned to Hyrcanus of Antipaters his sons affectation of tyranny especially saith Bert. pag 85 taking occasioÌ„ hereupon that Herod had coÌ„mitted many things in Galile against the country lawes of the Hebrues and right of the Synedrion and that for the same he was a little afterwardes cited vnto the cheefe Synedrion at Ierusalem moreouer saith he Iosephus treating of these matters teacheth that in those times the right of that cheeâ—e Synedrion endured which sate at Ierusalem and that the dignity tâ—ereof together with the principality of the nation was plainly restored vnder Hyrcanus c. When it was thus in the cheefest estate Antonie setting vp Herod to be a Tetrarch Augustus afterward making him a King all this state and cheefe power of the Synedrion was ouerthrown For saith BertraÌ„ pag. 86. Herod prouided that all the Iudges of the cheefe Synedrion except one or two were slaine and all other that excelled in any authority or obteined the degree of any dignity so that hee placed in their steedes whome he pleased After which Herods death when Augustus diuided all that state into four gouernments there followed of necessity this distracting saith Bertram pag. 87 of the Iewes kingdom into Tetrarchies a new distinction of Synedrions euery Tetrach no doubt vpholding separately his own Iurisdiction Which occasioÌ„ we see that Pilate greedily snatched wheÌ„ he sent Christe as a Galilean in which dooing hee verilye pleased the Iewes nothing at all vnto Herod the Tetrarch of Galilaea whome notwithstanding Luke calleth King Thus haue wee seene all the state of the Iewes Seniors in the Sanhedrin so much pretended and vrged by our Brethren from the time that their selues fetch it Numb 11. And before descending downe euen vntill Christes time who gaue this precept Math. 18. Dic Ecclesia Tell the Church In which wordes they say Christe translated the Iewes Synedrion as it was ordeined of God but not as it was then in Christes times altered to bee restored renewed and continued in his Church If this be true howe must not all the state of the Realme and all realmes Christian bee quite altered Yea if this bee true howe did not Christe translate withall restore renewe and continue the Iudiciall ciuill and politike Lawe of Moses Our Brethren pretend at the superficiall view nothing but the restoring of the Eccl. regiment and Discipline but when wee come thus to the sounding of thâ— matter we finde it is indéed the alteration of all the whole state Yea it is litle or leaste of all Ecclesiasticall Regiment Discipline or policie I graunt the Iewes had also their Ecclesiasticall Regiment Discipline and policie whereof Bertram treateth at large afterwarde But what was that to the Sanedrin or Synedrion of the Iewes either corrupted or in the best estate Ecclesiasticall persons also did deale therein but was not their authoritie most in the cheefest matters of estate if our Brethren meane but the state Ecclesiasticall why doe they vrge so peremptorily that Synedrion and those Elders before it had that name of the 70 ordained of God Numb 11. All these therefore duelie and thus at large considered to say nowe that Christe alluded to this order of the Iewes senate to this Sanedrin or Synedrion among them to this consistory and councell of seniors not so much corrupted by their vices as instituted approued of God that Christ translated this into the Church in the new Testament and that to continue while the world endure to be established now in euery Church or congregation either the same or the
matter so much vrged and of such importance this had bene requisit that we had heard Christes wordes not their gathering only of Christes meaning for our euidence And yet if we should admit this meaning and all we are neuer the néerer for anie such Consistorie Senate or Segniotie of Elders as our Br. pretend Well might we set vp if not rather ill might we set vp a Iewish Sanedrin and Presbyterie of Princes Priestes in euerie parish to rule the whole estate thereof as a little kingdome in it selfe to the alteration and ouerthrowe of the whole state of the Realme but for these gouerning and not teaching Elders that our Brethr. would bring in héere is neither word nor meaning that they are able to inferre on Christes sentence But our Brethren conceauing that they haue now at least wonne thus much that our Sauiour Christe by this word Ecclesia meaneth a Consistorie or assemblie of Elders they chéerefullie procéede to their authoritie say Whose authoritie he doth ratifie with such power that whatsoeuer is bound or loosed by them on earth in the feare of God and with hartie praier the Lord will bring it to passe yea he himselfe wil be in the middest of them as president of their Councell to direct their consultations to the glorie of God and to the profite of his owne Church Concerning that which our Brethren adde héere out of the 19. 20. verses of Matth. 18. the consent of two or three gathered together in praier or counsell to haue their petitions graunted and Christe himselfe to be in the middest of them as President of their counsell so farre as they do it in the feare of God and in the name of Christ this is so little to be restrained to a Consistorie of Elders that it stretcheth not onelie to all Prouinciall and generall Councels so assembled but to al Congregations gathered to publike praier or to the hearing of Gods word yea to anie particular housholde or persons though they be no greater number than there is mencioned to encourage and confirme them in their faith to God and in their mutuall loue and vnitie one to another As for the authoritie that Christ ratifieth with such power that whatsoeuer is bounde or loosed by them on earth c. meaning this Consistorie of the church the Lord wil bring it to passe we cōfesse cōcerning the Church of the which before he spake that Christe there gaue such power vnto his Church but our question nowe is not whether the power be giuen to the Church as to whom the exercise of this power is committed Whether to the whole Churches assemblie or Congregation or to a Segniorie of the Church gouerning discipline and yet not medling with teaching the word of God or to those to whom the Ministerie of the worde is committed And albeit that neither the Magistrate nor the Senate of Gouernors if there be anie nor yet the whole assemblie of the Congregation are debarred from all kinde of excommunicating yet to speake of excommunication in his proper sense it is the act of him that is a Minister of the word Brentius writing at large on this place not onelie acknowledgeth a kinde of excommunication made by the Magistrate but also affirmeth this speach of Christe Tell the Church to be indéede a good rule but not necessarie for euer and for all Churches Haec Regula c. saith hee This Rule which Christe in this place deliuereth being rightlie vnderstoode and vsed is healthfull to the Churche and bringeth much profite but beeing ill vnderstoode and naughtilie vsed hath brought much hurt to the Common-weale hath diuers times troubled the gouernment of the Church and of the Policie When as the Bishops of Rome with their vnreasonable and naughtie excommunications haue nowe and then stirred vp the children against the parents haue cast out Emperors and Kings out of their Empires and in these dayes also because the Anabaptistes see not in our Churches the like gouernment according to the letter as is heere described they thinke that the true Church is not among vs. Wherefore we must doo our diligence that wee may vnderstande this rule aright and vse the same lawfully according to the manner thereof First wheras Christe saith in this Rule Tell the Church hee speaketh not of such an assemblie of Christians which consisteth of a great multitude of people and of a ciuile Magistracie and wherein the ciuile Magistrate is not onelie a member of the Church but also the Gouernour and Ordeiner of the Ecclesiasticall matters For in such an assemblie it can not bee brought to passe that that which is said Tell the Church can be kept according to the letter without confusion For what a confusion and perturbation of things were that if a man publikelie in the Ecclesiasticall assemblie wherein now and then some thousands of men doo come together should make an out-crie of iniurie offered him of his neighbor and desire that after his neighbour hauing bene twice warned woulde not repent him witnesse may be heard and if he will not obey the voices of the whole assemblie that he should be excommunicated What place would there be in so diuerse willes of men in such a companie of the multitude either vnto honest Councells or vnto right Iudgementes and what either measure or ende woulde there be of brawlings But God as S. Paule saith is not the Authour of confusion but of peace Héere Brentius draweth néere to our Bretheren also in this poynt that it is not meant of euerie great assemblie of the people But what now doth he conclude héereupon that it was spoken of an Ecclesiastical Senate or Consistorie in their names It followeth Moreouer when in the Ecclesiasticall assemblie there is a ciuile Magistrate the office of this ciuile Magistrate is to punish wicked deedes according to their Lawes that by the seueritie of his administration hee remooue offences out of the way Such as sometimes was the administration of the Kinges in the Church of Israel of Dauid Salomon Iosaphat Ezechias and of other godly Kings That therefore Christe saith Tell the Church is not bee vnderstoode of a great assemblie of the Church wherein there is a ciuil Magistrate and one that for his vocation laboureth to defend the publike honestie of life but is to bee vnderstoode of a small assemblie whereof the Magistrate is not a member wherein the Magistrate either hath no function or else is holden as though he were a priuate person such an assemblie as was the companie of Christe For fewe accompanied Christe in his Ministery among the Iewes and among these few there was no publike Magistrate Among such therefore being fewe the rule may be holden according to the letter For it appeareth that Christ was moued to the prescribing of this rule on that occasiō that although they were fewe that followed Christ yet now then there arose euen among them
my dutie and then am I cleere and thou shalt giue an account to him that commaunded me to binde But tell thou me if the King sitting in presence one of the Sergeants standing by be commaunded to binde one of those that stande in the rowe and to lay fetters on him but he not onelie thrust him backe but also breake the bonds is it the Sergeant that hath susteined the iniurie or is it not much more the King that did commaund it For if when anie thing is done against the faithful he account the same done against himselfe how much more when he which is appointed to teach susteineth iniurie will he be mooued as though he himselfe had susteined the contumelie But God forbid that anie of them that are in this Church should come into the necessitie of these bondes For as it is a goodlie thing not to offend so is it profitable to beare the rebuke thereof Lett vs therefore beare the reprehension and let vs endeuor neuer to offend but if we shall haue offended let vs susteine the reproouing For as it is good not to be striken which notwithstanding if it shall happen it is necessarie to lay a medicine to the wound euen so it is heere But God graunt that we neuer need anie such medicines for of you we hope better things and such as appertaine vnto saluation although wee speake thus We haue spoken perhaps more vehementlie but to your greater taking heede For it is better that I should be accounted of you bold cruell and insolent than that you should doo those thinges that please not God But we trust in God that this our admonition shal not be vnprofitable But that you shall be so changed that these speaches shall bee turned into your praises and commendations By this it cléerelie appeareth that not onelie the keies of knowledge and opening the word of God but the keyes of this discipline Censure of excommunication appertained chiefly to the Bishop and to Teachers of the word and not to a Segniorie of such Gouernors as were not teachers ioyned with him And as this was the practise of the Churches Excommunication in the dayes of these holy Fathers so cutting of all the later corruptions of the ages following especially in the time of the Popish tyranny that moste tragically abused these keyes and continueth and encreaseth those abuses of them Let vs come to the Protestantes and to our Brethren themselues in the reformed Churches and see their iudgements also in this Discipline When the late Trident Conuenticle had falsly burdened the Protestant Churches that we gaue this power of the keyes to all Christians indifferently Kemnitius answereth in his Examination of the sixt chapter saying This Chapter hath two partes the first disputeth of the Minister of absolution to whome appertaineth the ordinary ministery of the keyes The other part treateth what absolution is So farre as perteineth to the first part the matter may bee dispatched in fewe wordes For in the Examination of the tenth Canon of the Sacraments in generall those thinges that pertaine heereunto are expounded For although the keyes be deliuered vnto the Church as the auncient Fathers doe well set foorth notwithstanding we thinke that by no meanes euery Christian ought or may indifferently without a lawfull calling vsurpe or exercise the Ministery of the word and sacramentes But as in case of necessity the olde Fathers say that euery lay man may minister the sacrament of baptisme so also Luther sayde of absolution in the case of necessity where a preeste is not present Melancthon in his common places Tit. De Regno Christi Moreouer saith he we must also consider this that the pastors haue the commandement of Excommunicating with the Worde without bodily force those that are guilty of manifest crimes And in his annotations on his common places he saith But after that we haue known the true church by those signes that he haue spoken of that power whereof Christe speaketh Mat. 16. 18. and also Iohn 20. is to be applied to this onely church For neither hath Christ giuen that power to his enemies whom he commaundeth to bee excluded out of the kingdome of heauen according to that saying he that beleeueth not shall bee condemned but vnto this onely assembly that hath not onely his worde but also interpreteth it rightly and according to the proportion of the faith not ouerthrowing the foundation which the Apostles haue layde and before them the Prophets For neither said he to Peter as to the son of Iohn I giue to thee the keyes of the kingdoÌ„ of heauen but because he had sayd thou art Christ the son of the liuing God Therfore the B. of Rome claimeth to himself in vain the keis of Peter sith that he is most vnlike to Peter not a minister of Christ but of Antichrist Of whoÌ„ it is writteÌ„ that about the last time he shal be reproued with the spirit of Gods mouth Neither â—id Peter vsurp the power of binding losing to himself alone any more to him-selfe than to other but iudged the same to bee common to him with all the apostles and the whol church which professeth the same word Saue that for order sake hee committeth the publike administration of the keies to certain to fit persons that they should either absolue meÌ„ or not absolue theÌ„ with this choise that Christ him self hath ordeined that he should rightly distribute the word of God c. Thus doth Melancthon graunt that this power is committed to the church but the dispensation of the power is committed to the right distribution of the ministers And not onely hee speaketh of the power mencioned Math. 16. and Iohn 20 but also Math. 18. To which purpose hee procéedeth saying But it is vsuall to deuide the power of the church into the power of order into the power of iurisdiction The power of order they cal the right of teaching of administring the sacraments which the prophets and thapostles immediatly receiued of God the other doctors or teachers receiued it by men To this power we must hearken simply euen as to the voice of the gospel according to the commandement of God Heare him Howbeit the good doctors or teachers haue liberty of ordeining times of Instituting certain traditions for good order sake VVhich to obey it is the duty of a godly mind To which mind nothing is more ioiful than in all things to agree with the true church without offence of conscience The power of iurisdictioÌ„ is when as those which are defiled with manifest wickednesses being admonished do not desist are excommunicated from the society of the Church not onely the inward and spirituall society Which excom is made by the general voice of the gospel he that shal not beleue shal be coÌ„deÌ„ned but also froÌ„ the externall coÌ„munion of the church by a spirituall sentence to the intent the honor of God
Churche Act. 11. ver 31. Of what function these Elders were in the places héere cited we haue alreadie séene at large That they were Ministers and Teachers of the word As for them mencioned Act. 20. it is both in the text apparant and besides Caluine all other Interpreters our Br. in this their learned Discourse beare vs witnesse in all which places they applie the name of Elders still to Pastors The 15. 21. of the Acts doo mencion also as we haue séene both by the text it selfe and by Calu. gathering theron stil such Elders as were Teachers of the word As for those mencioned Act 11. being the same that are spoken of Act. 15. and 21. the consequent is euident what they were So that here yet no Elders appéere that are no Teachers The second reason is saith Daneus To the Pastors and Prelates of the Church apperteineth the cure the viewe the knowledge and the iudgement concerning the manners of euerie of the faithfull And this iurisdiction is a part and appendant of that viewe and care therefore this care and watchfulnesse is proper also vnto them Whereupon it followeth that vnto them this administration dooth properlie belong For why are they called watchmen Ezech. 3. vers 7. Why are they bidden to haue the care of the Church 1. Pet. 5. ver 2. Hebr. 13.17 Why are they called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as I said before For these titles are not giuen of the holie Ghost in vaine vnto them These titles we graunt are not giuen them in vaine sith therfore they are all titles belonging to Teachers and Ministers of the word more properlie in the Eccl. functions thaÌ„ vnto those that are not Ministers nor teachers of the word It is more likelie that in these places where these titles be giuen are meant Teachers and Ministers of the word The 3. of Ezechiel ver 17. is cléere for a Teacher Thou Sonne of man I haue made thee a watchman vnto the house of Israel therefore heare my worde at my mouth and giue warning from me c. The testimonie of 1. Pet. 5. ver 2. besides all other Interpreters the verie Geneua translation hath this marginal note By Elders he vnderstandeth all them which preach teach or minister in the Church And least we should vnderstand it of other Ministers than of the word our Brethren themselues in this their learned Discourse pag. 22.25 32. do still applie the same to pastorall Elders As for the testimonie Hebr. 13.17 we saw how it was to be expounded by the 7. verse for those Guides that are Teachers of the word And the name fitteth verie well for so by S. Luke also S. Paule is called Act. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the guider of the word The 3. reason is saith Danaeus it apperteineth to them to iudge out of the word of God the factes life of men and to weigh the manners of men and to marke the fruite of the Gospel to whome the explication and treatie of the same word of God and of the Gospel by the coÌ„mandement of God doth apperteine but they are those that are conteined in the name of the Presbyterie Prepositors Prelates of the Church whereupon it is manifest that vnto them therefore belongeth this power properlie and chieflie whereby this iudgement is made 1. Peter 5. ver 2.1 Tim 4. ver 11.6 ver 2. What can be plainer spoken than this that these Elders of the Presbyterie ought to be Teachers and Ministers of the worde And these testimonies also doo as expresâ—ie proue it The first of Tim. 4. ver 11. Declare these things and teach them And 1. Tim. 6.2 Teach and exhort these things The 4. reason is saith Danaeus The vse it selfe of things and the examples of the Apostles and of the Primitiue Church doo confirme it For Paule while he vseth the power of the keyes against the incestuous Corinthian he asketh not euerie one of the people their sentence or opinion but onelie denounceth to the Church of Corinth and to the assemblie that hee which deserued was excommunicated 1. Cor. 5. ver 4.2 Cor. 2. ver 10. And declareth the same to other to whome that care perteined Paule in deed dooth communicate to the people denounce his iudgement that either the Church shoulde assent or dissent But hee himselfe with the Seniors pronounceth of the matter and claimeth the first and chiefest parts in the exercise of these keies vnto himselfe and to the other Pastors Although héere Danaeus adde this more than the text hath or giueth that he himselfe with the Seniors did pronounce of the matter for the text is plaine that he himselfe and by himselfe without anie Seniors of theirs did pronounce and denounce it to the Corinthians not that he was to be excommunicated but that he was excommunicated as Danaeus saith well therein chose they whether they would assent or dissent Their dissent could not reuoke the excommunication alreadie denounced But admit that Paule did it with anie other Elders ioyned with him yet neither wer they among the Corinthians nor Elders of that Church But whosoeuer they were if ther were anie stil he maketh them no other than pastoral Elders WheruppoÌ„ saith Danaeus it coÌ„meth to passe that we must conclude that the administration exercise power of the keyes which is both in binding losing is properlie first of all to be referred to the Colledge of the Presbyterie or Prelats of the Church notwithstaÌ„ding the same is had of the Church which they ought in the Chur. to exercise with the coÌ„sent notice approbatioÌ„ of the Church Hereunto I referre that which Aug. writeth Serm. 18. de verbis Apostoli If anie man suffred a slauÌ„der of his brother that is of a christiaÌ„ he ran to the B. to the end he might cleere himself of the slaunder All this againe maketh the more that the dealing herein apperteined to those Elders onelie that were Teachers Ministers of the word But saith Danaeus that the power arbitrimeÌ„t of the eccl CeÌ„sure perteined not to anie one appeareth eueÌ„ of that that the eccl regiment should theÌ„ be traÌ„sformed into a meere tyrannie or into a politike Kingdome Therfore neither the B. neither one Eld ought or can alone exercise that power but together at the length with his eccl CoÌ„sistorie as appeareth out of the old discipline Siritius in his 2. Epist. he liued in the Age of Ambrose In the 2. Councill of Carthage the 2. chap. And in the 4. the 22. 23. chap. Cypr. in his 12. Ep. In the first Council of Antioch chap. 23. this selfe same thing is coÌ„firmed This is another question Whether anie one Bishop or Minister may excommunicate or no The question is now betweene our Brethren vs whether one or mo there ought anie other to exercise this Censure of the Church than such Elders as are
after a Bishop he setteth vnder him the ordination of a Deacon Wherefore nisi quia episcopi Presbyteri vna ordinatio est vterque enim sacerdos But because the ordination of the Bishop and of the Presbyter Preeste or Elder is one for eyther of them is a sacerdotall or sacred Preeste But the Bishop is the first that euery Bishop might be a Presbyter Preest or Elder but not euery presbyter Preeste or Elder a Bishop For he is the Bishop which is the first or cheefe among the Presbyters Preestes or Elders To conclude hee signifieth that Timothie was ordeyned a Presbyter Preeste or Elder But because hee had no other before him he was a Bishop Whereupon he sheweth also in what manner he shoulde ordeyne a Bishop for it was not right or lawfull that the inferior might ordeyne the greater For no man giueth that that be hath not receyued c. And anone after he saith Let the Deacons bee the husbandes of one wife gouerning well their children and their owne houses For they that haue ministred well get vnto them selues a good degree and great confidence in the fayth which is in Christe Iesu. Those thinges that he spake of lesse in the ordeining of the deaconship hee hath nowe set them vnder and also sheweth that they ought their selues to bee the Husbandes of one Wife to the ende that they may bee chosen to the Ministerie of God that haue not gone beyonde the constitution of God For God decreed one Wife vnto a man with which wife hee shoulde be blessed For none is blessed with the second Who if they gouerne their children well and their houses that is their seruaunts and domesticalles they may be made worthy of the sacred preesthood I set not downe these wordes of Saint Ambrose that I allowe of his opinion against the second mariage or prohibition from the vse of the first in those that are Deacons But I alleage him to shewe howe hee is heere misse-vnderstoode to make two kindes of Deacons Whereas in very deede heere hee properly rather acknowledgeth but one kinde of Deacon which hee calleth the Minister or attendant on the Preeste or Elder Hee sayth in-deede But nowe there ought to bee seuen Deacons and some fewe Presbyters Preestes or Elders that throughout the Churches there may bee twayne and but one Bishop in a City So that he maketh heere but two distinct kindes of Ecclesiasticall ordeyninges the one of the Presbyters Preestes or Elders the other of the Deacons As for the Bishops hee maketh them to bee of the same ordeyning that are the Presbyters Preestes or Elders but the difference to bee in the dignitie of them That the Bishop is the first or cheefe aboue all the rest and but one Bishop in a Citie whereas the Elders are moe and all in dignity inferiour to the Bishop And these Elders not to bee Gouernours not medling with teaching but sacred or sacerdotall Elders both teaching and ministring the Sacramentes As for the Deacons hee maketh them all and alwayes so attendant on the Ministerie of the Bishops and Sacerdotall Elders and so continually giuen to Prayers that he woulde haue though to be maried yet altogether to absteine from their wiues Which though it were a greate ouershooting in so holy a father and direct contrary to the state of matrimonie and to the law of God and to the examples of all the holie auncient Preestes Prophets and Apostles and of the Bishops and Pastorall Elders as wee haue seene yet it clearely sheweth howe these Deacons were imployed not onely in the ministration vnto the poore but also in the attendaunce on the Bishop and on the Pastorall Elders in the deuine seruice and vpon necessitie or occasion to exercise the same their selueâ— also In so much that Hyperius calleth the Pastorall Elders and all vnder thâ— Bishops by the name of Deacons though hee distinguished Deacons into two kindes All which Testimonies both of this auncient Father and other so notable late writers duely considered it appeareth that this heere is not truely sayde of our Brethren that truely the Deacons office consisteth onely in ministration vnto the poore in that they be Deacons And this is all that their Learned Discourse discourseth on these Deacons From whome they nowe proceede to another Learned Discourse concerning Synodes The argument of the 14 Booke After all the foure Tretrarches haue all their seuerall ioynt offices and authorities assigned vnto them our Brethren heere enter the treatise of their Synods and assemblies First of the arising and repressing controuersies and of calling the ayde of Synodes there-vnto Of the promise of Christes presence Math. 18. Of the Pastors authoritie with the Synode Of the authoritie of calling and directing Councels and of the authoritie in determining controuersies Of the example in the assembly of the Apostles and Elders Acts. 15. And what the multitude did in that assemblie Of what persons a Synode consisteth of the order in that assemblie obserued Of the preheminence of one aboue the residue and whether this preheminence be of order only and not of authoritie Whether Iames his preheminence continued not but for the time onely of the Synode Of the Presidentes of Councels and of the Prolocutors authoritie Of the seuerall and ioynt-authoritie of Bishops and Arch-bishops Of the supremacie of Christian Princes ouer Counselles Of Bezaes graunt for this supremacie of the Prince and for the superioritie of Arch-bishops Metropolitanes and with what conditions Of the authoritie of Prouinciall councelles and that the matters lawfully decided in them are not to bee reuoked or controlled by inferior persons The rules of determining ceremonies The auoyding offences The Pastors knowledge of comelinesse order and aedification How farre the laity may herein informe the Pastors The Pastors dealing heerein toward the Elders that are not teachers Our Br dealing herein especially against christian Princes The christian Princes authoritie in ceremoniall constitutions Howe the Prince is vnder and ouer the Pastors in these matters How our Brethren reiect the Pince from hauing authoritie in making any Eccl. Constitutions with the Synodes because Synodes were holden before there were any Christian Emperors and of the force of that argument Of the Christian Princes before Christes comming and since his comming but before Constantine the great of the prefiguring their authoritie til they came Of the slaunder for absolutâ— authoritie Of Bezaes aunswers to this reason that there were no christian Princes And of the authoritie that Beza alloweth to Princes ouer Synodes The vnitie of ceremoniall constitutions Of our Brethrens reasons against vniformity in ceremonies as feeding and clothing yong and olde alike and as compelling men of ripe age to sucke the dugge to were biggins to carrie rattles and other childish bables Of Caluines rules for vniformitie in ceremoniall constitutions Of our brethrens reason against it that the land is not yet wholy conuerted to Christe Our brethrens assemblies for new orders
three yea their consistorie in their seuerall Churches or assemblies by this their owne confession haue diuers cases among them that I perceiue all they may bee so cumbred withall that they may bee driuen to pray the ayde of the Synode and may not a Synode yea a generall counsell disagree or agree and not conclude in diuerse cases and graunt they bee gathered together in the name of Christe and that hee is among them too Howebeit according to such measure of his grace and knowledge that perhaps they may not haue all cases reuealed vnto them or not agree vpon them And yet are Synodes and Counselles a verie excellent good meanes if they be gathered together in his name indeede and that it please God to open also those cases vnto them But nowe to let vs vnderstande further of whome this Synode shall consist and who shall determine these cases and gouerne the same they proceede and say With the Synode the Pastor hath authoritie to determine concerning the regiment of the Church Wherefore wee haue to inquire of what persons a Synode doth consist for which intent we finde in the historie of Actes 15.6 That when a greate controuersie arose concerning the ceremonies of the Lawe whether they were to bee vsed by those Christians that were conuerted of the Gentiles the Apostles and Elders came together to consider of this matter and that the people was not excluded appeareth by the twelfth verse the whole multitude beeing perswaded by the argumentes alleaged by Peter helde their peace and quietlie heard Paule and Barnabas declare what signes and wonders God had wrought by them amongest the Gentiles And leaste yee should vnderstande the multitude in that place for the multitude of the Apostles it followeth in the 22. verse Then it pleased the Apostles and Elders with the whole Church to choose certain men c. By which scripture we learne that the Synod◠consisteth principally of pastors Elders Teachers and men of Wisedome Iudgement and grauitie as it were of necessarie regents For although the whole multitude came together yet the Apostles Elders came together to inquire and consider of the matter in controuersy the multitude heard and for their better instruction and modestie submitted their consent vnto the determination of the Apostles and Elders All mens reasons were heard For there was greate disputation but the authoritie of Gods worde preuayled good order was obserued So after the matter was throughly discussed by the godlie argumentes alleaged by Peter and Barnabas and Paule the controuersie was concluded by the sentence of Iames to whome that prerogatiue was graunted not of singular authoritie but for orders sake Heere are three points touched by our Brethren First for the Pastors authoritie Secondlie of what persons the Synode consistes and thirdly who hath the prerogatiue therein aboue all the residue And first for authority of the Pastor they say with the Synode the Pastor hath authoritie to determine concerning regiment of the Church They begin heere mee thinkes vnder correction verie preposterously with the authority to determine in the Synode Whereas more orderlie they might haue begun with the beginning of the Synode and who hath authoritie to summon or call the same By authoritie of which summons they ought to assemble and meete together at time and place assigned and to direct them an order to proceede by For if the seuerall Churches and Bishops thereof be as our Brethren say all alike equal in the authoritie of these thinges then hath no one among them any authoritie to prescribe these thinges to any other and much lesse to many other or to all the seuerall Churches and Bishops in a kingdome The godly and auncient Emperors and Kinges had the cheefe partes of this authoritie in their Dominions ouer all Bishops and Churches in the olde time All the foure generall Councelles were summoned and assigned both time and place yea and the reuerende manner of their proceeding voyde of friuolous contentions by the godly Emperours Constantinus Theodosius Martianus c. Besides diuers prouinciall counselles All which is here not expressed but suppressed by our Brethren And I maruaile what they meane hereby Is it to put the Christian Prince out of this authoritie and to take and part it among these tetrarkes or to giue it to some one or fewe among them besides the Prince the Prince hauing so fayre presidents to shewe for it in the foresayd examples yea in the paterne of the olde Testament by Moses Iosue Samuel Dauid Solomon Iosaphat Iosias c. But of this we shall God willing anone see further what they giue or leaue to the Prince when we shall come thereto And since that heere we must skip ouer all the beginning and processe of the synode or councell and come to the determining or ending of it and the controuersies in it Let vs see vpon whome our Brethren will nowe bestowe this authoritie The Pastor say they hath authority to determine Whome meane they heere by the pastor any one pastor alone for that they say the pastor not the pastors or haue the pastors onelie this authoritie No say they but with the synode And hath the synode then the authoritie of determining with the pastor they sayde before that in their seuerall consistories the Elders or Gouernors had both the hearing examining and determining of all matters pertaining to discipline and gouernment of the congregation pag. 84. and the matter heere in hande is also of the authoritie to determine concerning regiment of the Church But what if the doubtfull and diuerse cases bee of doctrine and not onelie of the Regiment of the church shall the Elders or Gouernours that are no Teachers nor pastors determine then those cases as they say heere with the synode the pastor hath authoritie to determine whome meane they by this word synode which heere they doe thus distinguish from the pastor though in this authority they ioyne the one with the other Wherefore say they we haue to inquire of what persons a synode doth consist This indeede is the second point here touched and it is necessarie to be considered For if the synode shoulde consist of such persons as bee pastors then they can-not say the pastor hath authoritie with the synode the pastors them-selues beeing the synode for that were as much as to say a man hath ioint authoritie with him-selfe And did not they their selues confesse before euen on the other side of the leafe that a generall assemblie of all the pastors is called a synode or generall councell is it called so and is not so and if it bee so How is not the assemblie of the pastors themselues the synode it selfe But of whome nowe if not of the pastors doe they make a synode to consist For which intent say they wee finde 〈◊〉 Acts. 15. That when a controuersie arose concerning the ceremonies of the Lawe whether they were to bee vsed by those Christians that were
many reasons mooue me for otherwise it would of necessity be that eyther the one or the other he meaneth Luke or Paule should alleage a falshood c. So that at neyther of these two times there was any Synode holden at Ierusalem and yet at both those times Iames continued in this preeminence who still so continuing till this assembly Actes 15. and after also till the time héere mentioned Actes 21. verse 18. where sayth Sainct Luke speaking of Paules comming to Ierusalem the fourth time And on the morrow Paule went with vs vnto Iames and all the Elders were present Héere was an assemblie also or companie of Elders albeit not any Synodall assemblie but he speaketh of the Elders onely of the Church of Ierusalem whereas a Synode as Danaeus defineth it lib. 3. christ Isag. cap. 35. is a lawfull and holie assemblie of christian men comming together from out of diuers churches and regions c. Whereby it is manifest that this assemblie or companie of these Elders at Ierusalem thus still continuing and Sainct Iames all the while being the Ruler and Ecclesiasticall Gouernor of that Church this is but a méere fancie of our Brethren wherewith they beguile themselues and others that Iames had and some one likewise must of necessitie haue this preeminence during only the time of a Synode and the Synode dissolued the preeminence ceasseth whereas cleane contrarie they should rather reason thus the assemblie or companie of the Pastors in Ierusalem did still continue but there must be some one of necessity that must haue the prerogatiue or preeminence aboue the rest in euery assemblie or companie of Pastors therefore there was some one at Ierusalem whose preeminence and prerogatiue aboue the rest did still continue which being well considered doth cleane ouerâ—hrow all that our Brethren haue said before and do say héere for the equalitie and against the superioritie among the Pastors When they haue now confessed this preeminence of some one Pastor and this example of Iames for proofe of the same they make exception yet againe and say Not that Iames had greater authoritie in his Apostleship then Peter or Paule or Iohn or any other of the Apostles and we also do readily yéeld héereto in this respect of their office or function of the Apostleship But bycause say they he was chosen of the rest to haue prerogatiue of order which some one must haue in euerie assemblie And this we accept also but this prerogatiue of order could not but be a superior dignitie in the same order and also there was an ordinarie assemblie or companie of pastorall Elders abiding at Ierusalem as besides the places that we haue séene alreadie appeareth further Actes 1. verse 14. Actes 2. verse 46. Actes 4. verse 23. 32. Actes 5. vers 12. 13. Actes 6. verse 2. Actes 8. verse 14. Actes 9. verse 26.27 and 28. Actes 11. verse 12.18 and 22. Actes 12. verse 17. As for the 13. and 14. Chapters following Luke sheweth that the like standing assemblie of Elders whome he calleth Prophets and Teachers was also at Antiochia Actes 13. verse 1. and Actes 14. verse 27. and 28 and so be descendeth to the 15. Chapter expressing the assemblie at Ierusalem which our Brethren call a Synode neyther do we disallow their so calling of it Now then if this prerogatiue of some one aboue the rest must be in euerie assemblie and euery congregation is an assemblie besides a Synode and some Congregations may be of moe Pastors than one as our Brethren would haue the most to be at least of two and many are already of many as Cathedrall Churches and Colledges And our Brethren alleage for the example of many Pastors in one Church Sainct Paules calling for the Elders of Ephesus to Miletum which they say were the Pastors of Ephesus pag. 23. and thereto pag. 24. they alleage also Sainct Paules salutation Philip. 1. verse 1. how then followeth it not that eyther we must dissolue and disperse all these standing assemblies and companies of mo Pastors than one in one Church or Congregation except onely in Synodes or else that we must of necessitie admit by admitting that one must haâ—e the preeminence and prerogatiue of order aboue the rest in euery assembly of Pastors a standing and continuing inequalitie of dignitie in the Pastors And such say they was the prerogatiue at the first which was graunted sometime to the Byshop of Rome sometime to other Byshops to be presideÌ„t or prolocutor in the general Counsels being chosen therunto for the time by coÌ„sent of the rest as the Prolocutor is chosen in our Conuocations that are called with Parliaments This also be it spoken with their reuerence is not altogether true concerning Synodall assemblyes or generall or prouinciall Counsels For although there be an other standing and continuing preeminence of order vnderstanding order for dignitie and authoritie of some one Pastor in a Church Citie Diocese or Prouince aboue other Pastors which preeminence is Episcopall or Archiepiscopall as we haue before at large most cléerely prooued and which is in déede our farre greater controuersie yet notwithstanding to speake now onely of Synodes and Counsels where Byshops and Pastors of dyuers Churches are assembled to determine controuersies he that was President of the Counsell was not such an one as was chosen thereunto for the tyme by consent of the rest as the Prolocutor is chosen in our Conuocations that are called with Parliaments sith our Prolocutor or chiefe speaker in our name for so the word importeth both he and all the residue are called together by an higher Ecclesiasticall Ordinarie as by our Byshops in their Dioceses and they by our Archbyshop in hys prouince and he is appoynted so to summon and call vs all together at time and place assigned by our Soueraigne who beeyng thus assembled then indéede we chose our Prolocutor as the Laitie chose theyr speaker to moderate our actions in our Synodall assemblyes and to do as is aforesayd in the Counsell c. Howbeit thys debarreth not but that any one man in the Synode or Counsell as he hath an other peculiar charge so he may haue an other peculiar prerogatiue and preeminence in his seuerall Church City Diocese or prouince by vertue whereof the Byshop may assemble a Synode of the seuerall Pastors in his Diocese and an Archbishop of the seuerall Byshops and Pastors in his prouince as it was before the Emperors hauing many Christian Prouinces vnder them became the open professors of Christianitie For how were the Synodes and Counsels then called but by some one among them that had a continuing and standing preeminence aboue the rest before the calling of those Synodes and Counsels and much more before the assembling of them But now when as there was one Soueraigne Prince or Emperor Christian ouer all or the most of these Christian Prouinces the which
for we receiue not Philip for a Christian Emperour and long time after there were Christian Emperours euen as long as any puritie continued in Religion vntill both Emperours and Synodes were thrust out of all lawfull authoritie which they ought to haue in the Church by the tyranny of Antichriste I graunt the Synodall authoritie to bee graunted to the church by our Sauiour Christe to be practized by his Apostles and to bee continued by their successors three hundred yeares not before there were any Christian Emperours but before there were any such Christian Emperors as onelie proclaimed the maintenaunce and profession of the Christian faith as Constantine his successors did For Constantius Chlorus the Father of this Constantine the great is commended by Eusebius lib. 8. cap. 14. in these wordes Not long after Constantius the Emperor passing all others throughout his life in clemencie and goodnesse towardes his subiectes singularly affected towardes Gods worde ended according to the Lawe of nature the common race of his mortall life Leauing behinde him his naturall sonne Constantinus Emperour and Caesar to supplie his room And was first related of them meaning the Heathen into the number of the Gods Enioying after his death all imperiall honor and dignitie due to his person In his life hee was moste benigne and of most bountifull soueraignty among all the Emperours who alone of all the Emperors in our time gouerned most gratiously and honourablie during the whole tearme of his reigne shewing humanity and bountifulnesse vnto all men no partaker by anie meanes with any presumptuous sedition raysed agaynst vs hee garded the Godly about him in securitie without sentence of gilt and without all contumelye hee destroyed no Churches hee practized no impietye that mighte bee preiudiciall to oure Religion He obtayned a blessed life and an end thrise happy He being Emperour alone ended this life both gloriously and peaceably in the presence of his naturall sonne and successour who also was moste prudent and Religious His Sonne Constantinus beeing proclaymed full Emperour and Caesar by the armie and long before by God him selfe the vniuersall King became a follower of his Fathers pietie in Christian religion All this his commendation writeth Eusebius who was also liuing in his dayes And to confirme this he telleth also lib. 1. De vita Constantini cap. 11 Howe he fayned that he woulde put all the Christians which would professe their religion out of their offices and preferre the Paganes But when they which were Godlie Christians gaue vp their offices and chose rather to leaue their honors then to leaue their profession of the Christian fayth hee embrased them and those which offered to deny Christe to kéepe their dignities hee vtterly remooued from his person affirming that they woulde neuer be faithfull to the Prince which were vnfaithfull to God Whereby it appeareth that he was a true and Godly Christian Emperor Whereupon Eusebius concludeth that not onely he himself but his subiects also did enioy by him a pleasaunt conuersation in holinesse and deuotion towardes God Hee banished out of his Court Idolaters and dissemblers in religion and hee receiued and iudged those moste worthie to bee about an Emperour which confessed Gods trueth commaunding such to haue the guard both of his person and Dominion Hee serued and worshipped the onely true God Hee condemned the multitude of the Gods that the wicked had Hee fortified his house with the prayers of holy and faythfull men and hee did so consecrate his pallace to the seruice of God that his housholde was a congregation within his pallace hauing Gods Ministers and whatsoeuer is requisite for a Christian Congregation And although our Brethren peremptorily doe say wee receyue not Philip for a Christian Emperour yet wee haue hearde howe Eusebius telleth that though at the first hee was not of the Church of Christe so receyued by reason of his notorious sinnes neuerthelesse on his repentaunce and confession hee was at length receyued into the assemblie of the Christians at Rome euen as a Christian and of consequent as a Christian Emperour except the Christians woulde haue denied him to bee Emperour because hee was become a Christian. In-déede hée coulde not such was the iniquitie of the time then make open profession of his Christianitie or if he began it he was too soone cut off But this impediment was no debarre vnto his right if hee had had such time and occasion as had Constantine But had there bene no Christian Emperors before Constantine the great yet were there in other Countries mo Christian Princes besides those that were the Emperours of Rome yea to goe no further than this our owne Countrie was not here King Lucius a Christian besides other Christian Princes after him To which Lucius also as wee finde in aunciâ—nt recordâ— thereof a letter was written by Eleutherius Bishop of Rome anno Dom. 202. in these wordes following You required that we should sende you the Romane and Emperiall lawes that you might vse them in your kingdome of Brytannie But those lawes we may disprooue and not the lawes of God You haue of late through the goodnesse of GOD receaued in your kingdome the fayth and lawe of Christe you haue there in your kingdome both the Testamentes out of them by the grace of God and the aduice of your Realme take you a lawe and thereby Gouerne patiently your kingdome You are in your kingdome the Vicar of God according to the saying of the kingly Prophet The earth is the Lordes and his fulnesse is the whole worlde and all the dwellers therein And againe thou hast loued righteousnesse and hated iniquitie wherefore GOD euen thy God hath annoynted thee with the oyle of gladnesse abâ—ue thy fellowes They are the kinges children Christian Nations and people of your kingdome that liue and consist vnder your protection peace and kingdome according to the scripture euâ—n as the Henne gathereth her chickensvnder her winges The people and Nations of the kingdome of Brytannie is yours Such as are deuided you shoulde gather them together vnto the lawes of Christe vnto his holie â—hurch vnto peace and concorde And you should cherish mayntaine protect gouerne and defend them from the iniurious from the malitious and from the enemies of them VVoe to that kingdome whose king as a chilâ—e and the Princes eaâ—e early in the mourning I do not call the king a child for his youth and minoritie but for his follie iniquitie and madnesse according to the kingly Prophet the bloudthirstie and deceitfull men shall not liue out halfe their dayes By eating we shall vnderstande gluttonie by gluttonie luxurie by luxurie all silth wickednesse and mischiefe as sayth king Salomon wisdome will not enter into a malitious soule nor inhabite in a bodie thrall to sinne A King hath his name of gouerning and not of his kingdome So long shall you be a King as you rule well Otherwise you shall not so be
named but loose that name which God forbid God graunt that you may so rule your Realme of Brytannie that with him whose Vicar you are you may raigne euerlastingly Whereby it appeareth both that there were ciuill Christian Magistrates before Constantine and also what authoritie in making Ecclesiasticall lawes and constitutions with the consent of the Pastors was theÌ„ attributed vnto them in so much that Socrates sayth in his Preface to his first booke of the Ecclesiasticall Histories that after the Emperours beganne to embrace the Christian religion the Ecclesiasticall matters depended much on them yea the chiefest councels haue bene and are called together appointed by theÌ„ But now had there béen no Christian Prince all that time of three hundred yeres had this béen any debarre to their authoritie if there had béene any Nay rather how doe not our Brethrens owne wordes confute themselues And long time say they after there were Christian Emperours euen as long as any puritie continued in religion vntill both Emperors and Synodes were thrust out of all lawfull authoritie which they ought to haue in the Church by the tyrannie of Antichrist Ah ha go to then after the Emperours were become Christians they had authoritie and it was a lawfull authoritie and they ought to haue it in the Church And how were they thrust out of it if they had it not If they meane not this of their authoritie in Church matters how then do they say they were by the tyrannie of Antichrist thrust out of all lawful authoritie which they ought to haue in the Church Sith they are not yet by the tyrannie of Antichrist thrust out of all lawefull authoritie but chiefely of that which they ought with the synode and in some thinges aboue the synode to haue in Churche matters And if their authoritie had continued in possession and practise so long as heere they say anie puritie had continued in religion then had not the Emperours and other Christian Princes béene yet thrust out For thankes be to God among so many pollutions errors Idolatries superstitions ignorances and other infinite abhominations of Antichrist yet still some puritie continued in religion and euer shall do against which the gates of hell shall not preuaile Or else neither the Church of God and kingdome of Christe nor the inuincible truth of his Gospell were eternall All these spéeches therfore are too inconsiderate for so Learned a discourse as is pretended But we finde not in the scripture this authoritie graunted by Christ to ciuill Magistrates which in his and his Apostles time were not nor any promise that when they were the Synode shoulde resigne it vnto them We finde in the scripture so much authoritie graunted to ciuill Magistrates as we ascribe vnto them or as her Maiestie claimeth Example Moses Iosue Samuel Dauid Salomon Asa Iosaphat Iosias Ezechias c. But they except it was not graunted by Christ. I aunswere this is the common exception of the aduersaries and also of the Anabaptistes both of them drawing it from the Donatistes as we haue séene But it is most vntrue For vnderstande by the name of Christe the eternall Deitie of the sonne of God and his regiment in the Church before he ioyned our humane nature to his diuine nature as Saint Paule sayth 1. Cor. 10.4 They dranke of the spirituall rocke that followed them and the rocke was Christ so was this authoritie euen then graunted by Christe vnto those Christian ciuill Magistrates in his Church They reply again as they did before against the christian Magistrates that yet they were not in his and his Apostles time And I aunswere againe they were in his time that is in the time of that regiment of his Churche before that fulnesse of time wherein God sent his sonne made of woman as Saint Paule speaketh Gal. 4. ver 4. Christe had his day and a day is a time euen in the time of Abraham and in all times And yet if at any time there were not in his Church ciuill Christian Magistrates as at manie times we grant there were not both before the time of his comming in the fleshe and after yet is this right of so strong interest that time can not plead prescription against it And sith we can prooue that the ciuill Magistrate in the Church of Christe had and had lawefully this authoritie in Ecclesiasticall matters before the time of Christes taking our nature on him let them shewe that it ceased vtterly or was lost or is abridged by Christes comming and then they shall say some what to the purpose Which if they can not doe then the want of furnishing the place for a time disanulleth not the right for euer And therefore this is but a mere babbling sauing Brotherly reuerence and losse of time if it be not much worse to vse and thus still to beate vppon these cauilling false and sophisticall argumentes of the olde Scismaticall Donatistes of the newe libertine Anabaptistes and of the Romane Antichristian aduersaries which they make in their trecherous books against the supreme gouernement of Christian Princes And yet we haue sufficiently shewed before especially out of Gellius that there were ciuill christian Magistrates euen in the Apostles times Yea how those also whom our Brethren misconceaue to haue béen Eccl. Gouerning and not teaching Elders Gualter thinketh them to haue béen in those times of persecutions their ciuill christian Magistrates Iudges and Gouernors that they chose among theÌ„selues till the higher Magistrates Princes Monarkes receaued the publike profession and maintenance of Christianitie But they say besides there is not any promise made in the scripture that when they were become christians the Synode should resigne it vnto them What talke they of the Synodes resigning to the ciuill christian Magistrate the authoritie that in the right of his office is due vnto him As though the Magistrate had it by their resignation or as though they before had vsurped the Magistrates authoritie No doubt but that those persons in the synode which exercised in defect of the Magistrates any part of that authoritie that is competent vnto them when their higher powers and soueraigne Magistrates became Christians yéelded all due authoritie vnto them without the synode resigning from them selues that authoritie which properly appertayneth to the synode And foÌ„r this authoritie that we acknowledge to belong to the ciuill Christian Magistrate there was and is extant in the scripture fayre recorde euen of promise for it Which as we haue seene before out of S. Augustine so because they presse still on the same argument that the Donatistes did it may suffice to represse them with Saint Augustines aunswere and his prooues of the promise for the same out of the scripture who sayth Epist. 50. ad Bâ—nif quod enim dicunt c. For when as they that would not haue iust lawes to be constituted against their impieties do say
papisticall tyrannie mounted vppe into this toppe from whence it can nowe scarsely be throwen downe But when as no man can denie that Princes ought principally to care that the ministerie of the worde shoulde proceede on his course without offence vnto whome I pray you should it rather appertaine in the greatest tempestes which oftentimes are stirred vp of the Ministers them-selues to call the Churches together and to ouersee that in their assemblie all thinges be done well and orderly and that euen with their presence to confâ—rme the good and terrifie the euill But there were no politique Magistrates that gouerned the assemblie of the Apostles and of the first Churches I graunt it For whom would they haue called Neither doe I thinke that the Church dependeth on their edictes or authoritie but this I say that me thinketh he deserueth worse of the Church that would depriue the Church of the helpe of the present Magistrates so often as it is graunted of God For I confesse that indeede the office of the ciuill Magistrates is one thing and of the Ministers another if yee regarde that that is the proper office of euerie one of them But I saye that this is a commune office of them both that they should studie for the Churches peace and indeede so that they so often as it pleased God to furnishe the Churches with this benefite that they may haue a godly Magistrate should be the chiefest keepers of good order and that these out of the pure worde of God should freely and holily as it were the mouth of the Lorde of which the godlie Magistrate asketh counsell should constitute all thinges whereunto the Princes should afterwarde so subscribe that they shoulde also by their authoritie confirme among their people that which shall be ordeined out of the worde of God and that they commaund it to be straitly obserued If anie require examples whereby it may be confirmed I will aunswere it seemeth to mee that Dauid Salomon Ezechias Iosias did not otherwise with the Elders of the Churche of Israell And it clearely appeareth that all those that were the faythfull auncientes euen euerie one of them did not thinke otherwise concerning the gouerning of the boundes of the ciuill power and of the Ecclesiasticall ministerie I thinke therefore it must bee looked vnto not that the presence of godly Princes bee excluded but bee circumscribed in their boundes that heere they shoulde remember they must doe farre otherwise than if they sate in their throne eyther in hearing ciuill controuersies or in enacting lawes When as they be in the synode not that they should raigne but that they shoulde serue Not that they shoulde enacte lawes but the same beeing expounded out of the worde of God by the mouth of his ministers they should sette them forth to be obserued both of themselues and others But if so be any shall say it is danger least any entrie by this meanes should be made open to ambitious wits I answere that is true indeed As it appeareth by those foule flattering synodall acclamations such as were fitter for the Theaters playes than for a synode but I answere besides that it cannot be that all discommodities can bee prouided for experience it selfe doth shew that an entrie is opened to farre greater offences by the Princes absence than by his presence For what will not ambitious light and rash men dare to doe of which sort too manie haue alwayes beene founde among the ministers themselues except that they bee kept in awe in their ofâ—ice with some reuerence of the Magistrate beeing present so often as that is graunted of the Lorde And how truely this is sayde of me appeareth not onely out of the Actes of the Seleucian and Lampsacen Synodes and that hâ—uokons synode of Ephesus but also out of the Actes of the first Nicenesynode it selfe Briefely therefore to conclude if a general synode were to be gathered together sith that neither all the Churches do now obey one Prince nor the greatest part of Princes be it spoken by their leaue seeme fitte ynough to gouerne all this action in so great controuersies discords also of mindes neyther yet in the multitude of Presidentes anie thing could be freely inough and quietly ordeyned it should seeme necessarie that all they which are chiefe Gouernours or Princes or Magistrats of free Cities setting aside all ambition on eyther partie shoulde by a common consent in the feare of the Lorde determine of the number of those that should be the collocutors and also of the time and place of the synode and chiefely also of him that should be the Moderator thereof yea and of all the fourme of the action on those conditions that both be agreeable to the word of God are most fit for restoring the concord of the Churches This is the authoritie that Beza alloweth to the ciuill Christian Magistrates and Princes concerning Synodes Wherein although he speake indéede some what too contâ—meliouslie of Christian Princes and of the godly auncient Councels and restrayne too much on the other side the Princes authoritie beyond his examples yet for our partes what hath there euer béene established by anie Nationall Synode in this Realme wherein her Maiestie hath taken furder authoritie for Eccl. constitution although the matters were but meere ceremonial than is here set downe and circumscribed by Beza If our Brethren will but graunt thus much to the Prince then as her Maiestie may make lawes to confirme those thinges that in this order haue with vs bin decreed determined and to coÌ„mand that they be straitly obserued so would I for my poore skill be glad to learne by what spiritie reuelation or scripture if there be any that I knowe not both this authoritie of the Prince as well before the synode is called as ioyntly with the synode assembled and afterward in confirming the synodes acts also the synodes authoritie it selfe and the decrees that they haue in this maner and in these matters alreadie decided determined and concluded may be still by our Brethr. being but priuate Ministers of the same Nationall Church called againe into new question cancelled contemned condemned written against and that without any authoritie either of the Prince or synode of that Nation How our Brethr. can warrant this I would be glad to knowe for my learning and it would satisfie manie mo if our Brethren shal be able to shewe it But they harping on an other string crie vpon vs to shewe that the Prince hath an absolute authoritie and to this purpose they proceede saying Therefore vntill this may be shewed by sufficient warrant of Gods holy word we hold that the Synode of eueâ—y Prouince hath authoritie to decree concerning ceremoniall orders of the Church whereof some may be general to all coÌ„gregatioÌ„s some particular to certaine Churches If our Brethren stanâ— vpon our shewing by sufficient warrant of Gods holy
word this absolute authoritie wherewith by their leaue both vnciuilly and neyther so christianlike nor subiectlike as should beséeme them they burthen the ciuill christian Magistrate which is God be praysed ouer vs her most excellent Maiestie we shall then neuer reclayme them from their opinion nor let them to hold still what they please For we professe before hand at least I for my part that I can shew none nor I knowe of any such absolute authoritie that either we yéeld to the Prince or that the Prince claymeth in â—his our Church but set absolute aside and then that the ciuill christian Magistrate hath had and ought to haue some authoritie and that in the boundes thereof a supreme authoritie also we haue shewed by sufficient warrant of Gods holy word and euen héere not onely by the auncient Father Augustine but also euen by Bezaes owne approbation and pâ—oues therof where he minceth it most neyther can they nor all the woâ—ld elude this that we haue shewed thereon and this is it that we hold aâ—so of the Princes authority concerning the calling and gouerning of the Synodes what we holde further we shall come to it orderly afterwards but héere they tell vs what they hold We hold say they that the Synode of euery Prouince hath authoritie to decree concerning ceremoniall orders of the Church Before of absolute authoritie they sayd they would be glad to learne how this authoritie was translated from the Church in which it was once lawfully vested vnto the ciuill christian Magisâ—rate These were too high words nor they can euer be able to shew it by sufficient warrant out of Gods holy word that the true Church of Christ was euer vested with absolute authoritie but alwayes reserued that vesture to her Lord and husband Iesus Christ. The Pope indéede and his Popish Church he like a proude Prelate and she like a malapert Maâ—ame striued which of them should reuest themselues with absolute authoritie a more royall robe then became them or any creature to be vested with The Queene sayth Dauid Psal. 45.10 did stand on thy right hand in a vesture of the golde of Ophir But least she should thinke her selfe vested with absolute authoritie he saith vnto her Hearken O daughter and consider and bow downe thine â—are forget also thine owne people and thy fathers house so shall the King haue pleasure in thy beautie for he is thy Lord and reuerence thou him so that she is still vested with obedience and though with authoritie not with absolute But it seemeth that our Brethren aâ— better aâ—uised will now let go their former hold that they sayd the Church did hold for the vesting her with this vesture For héere they leaue out the word absolute and say onely that the Church hath authoritie which is a great deale more truly and warily spoken than before And yet héerein also me thinkâ— in another point they greatly ouer shoote themselues for where they say that the Synode of euery Prouince hath authoritie to decree concerning ceremoniall orders of the Church leauing out quite and cleane the Prince whome they include not in the name of Synode but making the Prince another partie besides the Synode moue the question what is due to the Prince what to the Synode This is very much if I might not rather say this is very little or nought at all to make now the Christian Magistrate to haue no authoritie at all but be cleane excluded And that is more if the Christian Magistrate haue diuers Prouinces in his Dominions the Synode of euerie Prouince hath authoritie to decree concerning ceremoniall orders of the Church he or his authoritie neyther in all nor in any of those his Prouinces being once so much as mentioned But what they meane by these spéeches following whereof some may be generall to all congregations some perticuler to certaine Churches let themselues a Gods name make their meaning playner for as yet I perceyue not such is my bulnesse how all congregations are bound to obserue the Decrees concerning ceremoniall orders of the Church that are decreed in the Synode of euery Prouince or that euery Prouince consisting but of certayne perticular Churches hath authoritie to make Decrees whereof some may be generall to all congregations What they intend héerein I can scarse ghesse except they would haue all Churches and congregations be bound to receyue the Decrees of the Synodes holden in Geneua or in some other Prouince that they like better and say they were of the number of those Decrees which they made to be generall to all congregations But as our Synodes prouinciall cannot make any such ceremoniall order to binde them or to binde generally the congregations or Churches of any other Princes Prouinces so haue they no more authoritie to make ceremoniall orders to binde our congregations and Churches thereunto For as it were to be wished that all places might be brought to one perfection so is it not alwayes necessarie that they bee lyke in all things This wish for perfection of vnitie in all places if the matter might go by wishing is to be liked so farre-foorth as perfection may be wished though hardly hoped for in the imperfection of this life in the Church militant and in the great varietie of ceremoniall orders in the sundry parts and Prouinces of the same howbeit in doctrine especially in the grounds and principles thereof it is to be wished for euen as necessary and although it be not alwayes necessary that all places be like in all things meaning ceremoniall orders and constitutions whereof before they spake yet for all places that be of one countrey state realme dominion or prouince it is farre better that all places were alike For although varietie in those things may stand with the vnitie of the faith and with the substance of our communitie in the corporation of the mysticall bodie of Christ which is his true and holy Catholike Church the communion of the Saincts yet if they be knit together in one order of these ceremoniall things also where they liue together vnder one Christian Magistrate it doth more confirme them in the other substantiall vnitie And the varietie is daungerous in one Church or kingdome euen in these more frée and inferior matters as with gréefe we sée in England at this day what destructions and contentions haue risen and dayly do rise in our Churches that otherwise in doctrine are vnited and yet the varietie of these ceremoniall orders hath with some called in suspition the vnitie of religion and with many hath disturbed if not broken the vnitie of our christian peace and concord And therefore excellently well are these two knitte together Cor vnum via vna one hart one way Zanchius noting the difference of these vnities in his Confession of Christian Religion Cap. 24. de Eccl. militante aphoris 14. 15. writeth thus For with what things
discipline or honesty or peace The end of our striuing is to restreyne the vnmeasurable and barbarous Empire that they vsurpe vpon the soules which would be counted the Pastors of the Church but in very deede are the most cruell butchers Héere we sée what Ecclesiasticall lawes and constitutions Caluine alloweth and what he impugneth If they be such as be made for matter of the worship of God or to incroch vpon the spirituall libertie of the conscience Caluine proclaymeth warre against them and so do we also but if they be such as tend to any of these thrée good ends discipline honestie or peace Caluine proâ—esseth not to striue with any such constitutions and such only do we defend and eyther our Brethren striue against them or we agrée so farre héerein But héere Caluine least the good and lawfull constitutions also shoulâ— be thought suspected as matters touching the intangling of the consâ—ieÌ„ce after he hath moued the question of Sainct Paules saying Rom. 13.5 how we must obey the Princes lawes not only for wrath but for coÌ„science proprie autem c. but properly conscience respecteth onely God as I haue alreadie sayd Heereupon saith he sect 4. it commeth to passe that a law is said to bind the conscience which bindeth a man simply without mens looking into it or without consideration had of them as for example God commaundeth not onely to keepe the soule pure and chaste from all lust but also forbiddeth any vncleannes of words and outward lasciuiousnes To the obseruation of this law my conscience is subiect although there were no man else in the world aliue Euen so he that demeaneth himselfe intemperately sinneth not only in that he giueth euill example to his brother but he hath his conscience tied with a guiltines towards God in matters that are indifferent the reason is otherwise for if they breede any offence we ought to absteyne howbeit with a free conscience so doth Paule speake of flesh consecrated to Idoles If any saith he cast a scruple touch it not for conscience sake conscience I say not thine but the others The faithful man should sinne if before hand being admonished he would notwithstanding eaâ—e that flesh Neuerthelesse howsoeuer in respect of his brother an abstinence is necessarie for him as it is of God prescribed yet for all that he leaueth not to hold the libertie of conscience we see how this lawe binding the externall worke leaueth conscience vnbound Now to returne to the humane lawes if they be made to this end to cast a religion vpon vs as though the obseruation of them were by themselues necessarie we say that they were imposed vpon the conscience which thing was not lawfull for our conscience hath not to do with men but with God alone whereunto apperteyneth that common difference betweene the earthly court and the court of conscience c. But yet saith Caluine further on this matter that difficultie is not cleered that ariseth out of Paules words For if we must obey Princes not onely for bycause of punishments but of conscience it seemeth to follow thereupon that the lawes of Princes haue dominion ouer the conscience which thing if it be true the same also must be said of the lawes Ecclesiasticall I answere First we must distinguish inter genus species betweene the generall kinde and the speciall fourmes thereof For although the particular lawes touch not the conscience yet are we holden by a generall commaundement of God which commendeth vnto vs the authoritie of the Magistrates and on this hingin or principall point consisteth Paules disputation the Magistrates bycause they are ordeyned of God are to be prosecuted with honor in the meane season he teacheth not that the lawes which are written of them perteyne to the inward gouernment of the soule while in euery place he extolleth both the worship of God and the spirituall rule of liuing iustly aboue any whatsoeuer decrees of men Another thing also is worthy to be noted which yet dependeth on that we haue sayde before the lawes of men whether they be made of the Magistrate or of the Church although they are necessary to be kept I speake of good and iust lawes euen therefore notwithstanding by themselues they binde not the conscience bycause the whole necessitie of keeping them hath respect to the generall ende but it consisteth not in the things that are commaunded from this order they differ farre that both prescribe a new forme of worshipping God and ordeyne a necessity in free things Thus farre doth Caluine shew how farre the Magistrates and the Churches constitutions are good and necessarie to be obeyed of all alyke the christian subiects so farre as they impose no simple necessity of themselues nor any necessitie at all to saluation nor directly touch the court of conscience nor are matter of Gods worship from all which thrée points all our Magistrates and Churches constitutions are frée and therefore except our Brethren will offer them wrong they haue no iust cause to refuse or impugne them When Caluine hath now thus declared how farre-foorth the Magistrates and the Churches constitutions are lawfull and good after he hath at large confuted the traditions of the Papists least rashly we should condemne all alike he sheweth againe in the 27. Section how we must take héede what constitutions of the Church we inueigh against But sayth he since the most part of the vnskilfull persons when as they heare that the consciences of men are wickedly bound to humane traditions and that God is worshipped in vayne they with the same dash include all the lawes wherewith the order of the Church is established we must heere also in good time meete with their error Certaynely we may very soone be heere deceiued bycause it appeareth not by and by at the first shew what difference there is betweene those lawes and these but I will so lay downe the matter in few words that the likenesse of them shall beguile none This first let vs hold if in euery societie of men we see that it is necessary there be some policy which may serue to nourish the common peace and to reteyne concord if in the affayres that are to be atchieued there ought alwayes some rite or ceremonie to flourish which that it should not be cast off apperteyneth to publike honestie yea and to humanitie it selfe The same is to be obserued especially in the Churches which are best of all vpholden with a well set constitution of all things but then without concord they are vtterly no Churches at all for which cause if we will haue good regard to the safety of the Church we must wholy with diligence looke to that which Paule commaundeth that all things be decently done and according to order But when as in the manners of men there is so great diuersitie so great varietie in their mindes so great fight in iudgements
helpe bare headed and there is place where she hath no lesse oportunitie to speake than in an other place to hold her peace And also there is nothing that letteth him to pray which standeth who being let by disease is not able to boowe his knees To conclude it is better in good time to burie the dead than where there wanteth a winding sheete or where there are not some to carrie foorth the corpse to tarrie till it putrifie aboue ground Howbeit there is neuerthelesse in these things that to be done or to be taken heed of that the custome of the region the ordinances yea finally humanitie it selfe and the rule of modestie shall suggest wherein if by vnskilfulnesse or forgetfulnesse any thing be done amisse no crime is committed but if it be done of contempt it is a contumacie or prowde stubbornesse not to be allowed In lyke manner the dayes themselues what they should be and the houres what manner building of the places which Psalmes what day should be soong it maketh no matter And yet it is meete that there be certayne dayes and houres standing and a fitte place to receiue them all if there be any consideration had of peace keeping For of how many brawles would the confusion of those things be the seed if that according as euery bodie liked it were lawfull to change those things that perteyned to the common state sith that it will neuer come to passe that one thing would neuer please them all if matters as though they were layd foorth in the middest among them were left at euerie ones choyse but if any bodie grumble hereat and would heere be more wise than he ought to be let him see to it with what reason he may approue vnto the Lord his way wardnesse Neuerthelesse this saying of Paule ought to satisfy vs that we haue not a custome of contending nor the Churches of God Thus modestlie and with great grauitie writeth Caluine of these Ecclesiasticall Ceremonies and constitutions wherein although it were but of a linnâ—n kerchiefe on a womans head yet for publike order sake he would not haue it contemned though vpon occasion or necessitie it were omitted so farre off was Caluine from this contemptuous likening of these smallest Ceremonies in the Church to the sucking of the dugge to the wearing of biggins and to the carrying of rattles and other childish bables or to the scoffing at the vniformitie of them as though we would feede old men and sucking infants all with one kinde of meate or as though we would cloath all ages in a roabe of one assize for notwithstanding as Caluine sayth they be but outward rudiments to help and strengthen our humane infirmitie whereof some being of riper age in Christ than other we all of vs haue no need of them yet saith Caluine we all of vs do vse them why so but that both bycause saith he we are mutually bound to cherish charity amongst vs one to another and bycause it is not lawfull for euery body to change those things that apperteyne to the common state but that they must be onely changed or taken away by the same authoritie that did make them and as they are not lawfull to euery person no more are they lawfull to euery particular Church to change them bycause they reach higher euen to the common state of the whole region And besides if it should be suffered that euery priuate person and by the same reason euery priuate congregation might change the Churches publike constitutions since that tot capita tot sensus no one constitution would euer please all persons this would become the verie seede as Caluine calleth it of all brawles and confusion and in the end the cleane ouerthrowe of the Church These principles of Caluine being well weighed let now the indifferent reader iudge how truly our Brethren say of these ceremoniall constitutions wherein we of long time in England haue beene caried away with an vntrue principle that vniformitie must be in all places and things alike If this be an vntrue principle in these matters then hath Caluine himselfe helped to carry vs away But I am afrayd our Brethren for all their learning are alittle too much carried away with affection that maketh them both in this matter and in many other mistake vntrue for true and true for vntrue principles But let vs now sée our Brethrens reason that they alleage against vniformitie in these ceremoniall constitutions Our land is not yet wholy conuerted to Christ so great hath beene our negligence hitherto therefore there can not be such an vniformitie of orders in all places as shall be profitable for all This argument although we haue séene it alreadie sufficiently confuted by Caluine let vs yet consider it somewhat further in the example euen of these constitutions made by the Apostles and Elders Actes 15. so often alleaged by our Brethren for if this argument be good then could not they haue made as they did those Ceremoniall constitutions and commanded the charge of kéeping them for any time generally and with like vniformitie of all the Churches to whome they wrote their letter and decrée saying verse 23.28 and 29. the Apostles the Elders and the Brethren vnto the Brethren that are of the Gentiles in Antiochia and in Syria and in Cilicia c. It seemed good to the holy Ghost and to vs to lay no more burthen vpon you than these necessary things that is that ye absteyne from things offered to idoles and bloud and that which is strangled and from fornication from which if ye keepe your selues ye shall do well c. Were none of all those Christians in the Churches to whom they wrote these decrées wholy conuerted to Christ or were all the christians in all those churches wholy conuerted or conuerted all alike and yet the decrée was generally to be vniformely kept of all those churches Yea what shall we say to the Church of Ierusalem it selfe where this decrée was made were they all wholy conuerted to Christ no hypocrites nor yet weake brethren among them did not euen the Elders of Ierusalem themselues bewray the great weakenesse of their multitude when as afterwards Actes 21. S. Paule came to Ierusalem did they not say to Paule vers 20. thou seest Brother how many thousand Iewes there be which beleeue and they all are earnest followers of the lawe c. and for these weake brethrens sakes they counceled S. Paule to purifie himselfe being a Iewe according to the ceremonies of the Iewes and although they knew the christian libertie yet would they haue S. Paule to auoyde the offensiue opinion that the multitude of the christian Iewes had conceyued of him to conforme himselfe vnto theyr weakenesse And what shall we say to the other Churches of the Gentiles were all the Christians in the Church of Corinthus wholy conuerted to Christ and yet notwithstanding S. Paule ceasseth
not to prescribe vnto them all alike some ceremoniall constitutions neyther was the difference of their strengths or weakenesse in their conuersion to Christ any breach or let to the vniformitie of their obseruing the same But by this reason of our brethren there could be no vniformitie of ceremonies not only then with them or now with vs in all places of the Church and land of England but in no place in all the whole world for where is the whole land or church wholy conuerted to Christ if they say that by these words not wholy conuerted they meane not all nor the greatest part but that some be not conuerted to Christ then they confute their owne reason in that the weakenesse of the lesser part ought to be no preiudice to the making of vniforme ceremonies vnto the greatest part for the law considereth rather the vniuersall multitude than euery particular party and so confessing that our land God be praysed for it is for the greatest part conuerted though not wholy conuerted in respect of euery person yet as the greatest part is commonly called by the name of the whole it may be well said also to be wholy conuerted But what meane they hereby that our land is not yet wholy coÌ„uerted to Christ they haue coÌ„fessed in their preface vnto this learned discourse that for the substaÌ„ce of religion it is now publikely mainteined for our true holy faith If any be not yet coÌ„uerted vnto the whole truth thereof how doth not this argumeÌ„t make the more for vniformity in these ceremoniall constit were it the easlier to win theÌ„ if by any meanes they may be woon by kéeping an vnforme order in those ceremoniall constitutions that are neyther ill of themselues and are but ordeyned to these good ends that order and comelinesse be reteyned shall we rather winne and conuert them to Christ both by reiecting all vniformitie in those ceremoniall constitutions that both they and we agrée vpon to be good and lawfull and also by reiecting all vniformitie in any other that may be deuised Yea by this their rule we should kéepe no vniformitie in any of those ceremoniall constitutions that they their selues set foorth vnto vs or is it lawfull for them to presse their Ceremonies vpon vs to be obserued with vniformitie and is it not more lawfull for vs hauing the law with vs to do the like to them so long as we vrge none nor otherwise than seruing to order and to comelinesse if ours séeme not so to them no more do theirs séeme so to vs and we hope and thanke God that we are also euen the greatest part and therefore may be called the whole that are we trust wholy conuerted to Christ wholie I meane for substance of Religion though in measure of faith and conuersation of life there is none of vs all nor yet of our Brethren so wholy conuerted but that the best of vs all come short and oftentimes diuert from Christ and must still be fayne to cry to Christ Conuerte me domine conuertar Conuert me Lord and I shall be wholy conuerted But will vniformitie in those Ceremonies that are giuen to helpe and strengthen our weakenesse hinder our Conuersion vnto Christ yea rather how will they not greatly further it But now if we be not so wholy conuerted to Christ as we ought to be although I confesse negligence may be some part too great a part the cause thereof yet I feare me our Brethrens too double diligence in disturbing the concord of the Preachers and euen in this reiecting of vniformity in these ceremoniall constitutions giuing liberty not only to euery Synode of themselues but also to theÌ„selues in these their discourses without any Synode and without yea against the authority of the ciuill christian Magistrate and much more without yea against the whole state of the Church in this our laÌ„d yea giuing liberty to euery particular church and withall by these their reasons to euery priuate person according as he or she is weake or strong to admit or reiect all vniformitie to alter and innouate as they fancy all such Lawes and constitutions of ceremoniall rites orders as are by a lawfull godly Synode of the Church decréed by the authority of the ciuill christian magistrate confirmed established proclaimed to be vniuersally among vs vniformely obserued These sayings doings of our Brethren their selues haue bin if not the chiefest yet not the least cause that not onely our land is not so wholy conuerted to Christ as it might otherwise haue béene but that so many are wholy auerted froÌ„ Christ and become peruerted renegates apostataes vnto Antichrist that before these sturres betwéen our brethren vs began were very wel coÌ„ming on by little little so far as man can iudge or hope by outwarde signes might haue béene throughly wonne and wholly conuerted to Christ or might yet in the vnsearchable riches of gods mercies be reclaimed and reconuerted But firmum flat fundamentum Deus nouit qui sunt sui If they be none of Gods elected exiâ—runt e nobis non fuerunt ex nobis they went from among vs they were none of vs. But nowe to our Brethrens conclusion that they gather on these premisses Therfore it were meete that the Ouerseers and Elders of the Church shoulde come together to consider of this matter what orders were most meete for diuerse places to bring them to the obedience of Christ what for the furtherance of them that are newly come and what for the continuance and encrease of them that are verie well come on Here still the soueraigne Prince or ciuill Christian Magistrate is eyther cleane forgotten or of purpose reiected as hauing no stroake at all in these matters except they wil include the Prince in one of these termes the Ouerseers and Elders of the Church But they haue before restrayned those titles to the Pastors and to those Elders whoÌ„ they call the Gouernors and distinguishing the Prince from them they call him the ciuill Christian Magistrate But now what orders when they come together to consider of this matter can these Ouer-seers and Elders deuise that shal be most meete for diuerse places if they coÌ„sider not on this withall that if not in al places yet at the least in all those diuerse places they should be vniformely kept For to kéepe diuersitie or to kéepe them diuersely in those diuerse places what is it else than to be bounde in no places to no orders at all Will they not yet at least wise haue those orders that shal be deuised for the furderance of them that are newly come to be vniformely kept among all them that be such persons in all or diuerse places And likewise those orders that should be deuised for the continuance and encrease of them that are verie well come on to be kept also
vniformely in all those diuerse places where such persons be But againe if they shall consider this better what certaine order can here be set downe that shal be meete for the diuersities of these persons when they still by the grace of God are growing vp and ware dayly and hourely of riper age and riper and alwayes going forwarde and comming on to Christe as to the goale and marke set before them What And shall then these Ouerseers and Elders make the orders most fitte to the Pastors doe nothing else but still come together and daily and hourely change their orders Or shall these persons weare their coate still of one assize Or if some come on forwarder than othersome so that they can not kéepe a iumpe and meete proportion to euerie one shall we haue no certaine orders at all for feare these Ouerseers and Elders should misse in some Sée what a childishe reason if I may be so bolde to returne the terme this is of our Brethren that tell vs of childish bables to take away all vniformitie of ceremoniall constitutions and all for the difference of some diuerse persons And yet wee denie not but that as there are diuersities of persons there may well bee diuerse and seuerall orders appointed for them howebeit to be kept vniformely by those diuerse degrées of persons for whome they are made For we doe not in such manner as our Bretheren vntruely reporte of vs feede olde men and sucking infantes all with one kinde of meate nor cloath all ages in a roabe of one assyze but such and such ceremonies are appointed to such and such degrées of persons and not all to all alike although some of those ceremonies be of that nature that they may as well stretch to all as some one kinde of meate may bee fedde on euen of olde men and of young also as well as of sucking infantes and of sucking infantes as well as of olde and young men May not all the people in a parish come to some one Church in some one place at some one time appoynted and there all of them knéeling on their knées at least so manie as bée able saye altogether some one appoynted forme of prayer or confession or thankesgiuing may they not all at least as manie as canne sing together some one certaine number of Psalmes or hymnes May not all infantes by some one publike forme prescribed thereof be Baptized alike And some one like publique forme be appointed for all the communicantes to receaue the Lordes supper after one manner May not one forme of marrying bee appointed to bee vsed through out all the whole Lande and Realme of Englande If there can bee no one ceremoniall lawe or constitution made of these thinges howe haue our Brethren abused vs that haue sette out a booke of common prayer wherein manie of these some one ordinaunces béeing all of them indéed but ceremoniall constitutions and decrees are sette downe and prescribed to be in generally and vniformally vsed of all the Churches in the Realme so farre as their authoritie stretcheth to prescribe them For if they prescribe them not why doe they set them out if they regarde not who vse them and who vse them not I sée not therefore but that euen by their owne example and much better hauing vtter warraunt some ceremoniall constitutions may bee well decreed for an ordinarie publique and generall order to bee vniformely kept of all Churches a like in a whole Realme so farre as other necessitie or some particular occasion doth restrayne them The same doctrine although not the same partes of doctrine is to be euerie where but ceremonies euen as they bee ceremonies doe admitte varietie as time persons and occasions serue to bee diuerse Yea Christian libertie in them sometimes is necessarie to bee testified because there are manie so simple that they knowe not the difference betweene those thinges that are necessarie in the Churche and those that are not of necessitie There bee that thinke a Crosse or Foont as they call it is as necessarie in Baptisme as water and that kneeling at the Communion is more necessarie than preaching of the Lordes deathe that a surplusse in Common prayer is more necessarie than a deuoute mynde and great occasions offered to the ignoraunt so to thinke when they see them that preache moste diligentlie praye moste feruentlie and minister the Sacramentes most reuerentlie according to Christes institution to bee displaced of all ministerie for a Crosse or a Foont or a Surplusse or some suche other tryfle There is great difference betweene Doctrine and Ceremonies but if our Bretherens former reasons shoulde holde to respect the diuersities of the people they might alter the vnitie of the doctryne too But the same partes of doctrine they saye are not to bee euerie where This is spoken somewhat too obscurely For the doctrine and all the partes thereof are indéede to be euerie where though I graunt not all to be taught euerie where to the same persons at the same time and so may the vse of the same ceremonies also vpon occasion be altered or left off But ceremonies they say euen as they be ceremonies doe admitte varietie This I graunt likewise and yet againe euen as they bee ceremonies they as well admitte vniformitie and in some cases especially may much better admitte vniformitie euen as they bee ceremonies than varietie and much néerer is it to the nature of any ordinaunce and decree bee it ceremoniall or otherwise to admitte vniformitie than varietie For else it could bee no certaine decree When as the varietie which it admitteth commeth vnto them in that respect as extraordinarie times persons and occasions serue to bee diuerse or as necessitie it selfe that hath no lawe enforceth the breaking of the ceremonies all which is but accidentall to them and no preiudice to the ordinarie and generall vse of the same ceremonies vniformitie Yea say they Christian libertie in them sometimes is necessarie to be testified because there are many so simple that they knowe not the difference betweene those thinges that are necessarie in the Church and those that are not necessarie This we graunt likewise that sometimes in ceremonies the christian libertie is necessary to be testified Yea rather at all times the christian libertie is to be testified And when wâ—â— vse ceremonies most vniformally then is the best vse withall of this restification of the christian libertie And therefore it yet followeth not that vpon such testification made we must neuer kéepe any one order or vniformitie of any ceremonie at all And yet besides we graunt this also euen for the testification of the Christian libertie by omitting sometimes or altering some ceremonie or some part thereof and euen for this cause also that our Brethren here alleage Yea although there were not many so simple that they knowe not the difference betweene those thinges that are necessarie in
yâ— country exercises amoÌ„g the poore old simple ministers that in 10.12 or 13. yeres space a great many might haue proued excellent wel learned able to serue in the Church with great fruit profit but God be praised for it though our brethren will not acknowledge it some haue reaped hereby much fruit and profite are become proper schollers and preachers too And the rest saye they according to the proportion of their time might haue come to some mediocrity in knowledge This is better said of this sort are I hope if not all yet the most part Wheras now say they as ignorant as vnfit as they were the first day so are they still for the most part will so continue to their liues end if they may be suffred in Idlenes as they haue bin hitherto If any such Idle droanes be so be proued they may by law be more sharply ceÌ„sured or remoued without remouing of the law for theÌ„ That anâ— be suffred in idlenes so haue bin hitherto let the suffrers answer it suffer the shame or smart therof when the accusers haue proued it but let our brethren here take heede of slaunders Then it is a torment to think what ambitious suing what eâ—uio us laboring what vnseemely flattering what prodigall bribing is vsed to attain to great dignities in the church too far vnmeete for the modesty grauity that should be in christiaÌ„ preachers as for the inferior benefices froÌ„ the fattest Parsonage to the porest Vicarige almost if it be worth 40. pouÌ„d by the yere what Simonical bargains of Leases annuiâ—ies reseruations exhibitions yea notwithstanding the Act of Parliament Anno. 13. by Antidates other subtill conueiances what Christian harte can thinke of them without detestation of such horrible abuses The crimes here heaped vp together are all personall neither the faults of yâ— law it selfe nor approued by any law established in the church oâ— EnglaÌ„d How soeuer any party is acquitt or gilty the authoryty of the law remaines intiere where it findeth such horrible abuses cléerly proued it seueâ—ely punisheth theÌ„ if it be duly executed therfore thus to agrauate these crimes to reason froÌ„ them to take away the B. pastors lawful authority conteineth a nuÌ„ber of fallatioÌ„s ab accedente ab ignoratione elenchi a non causavt causa a secundum quid ad simpliciter it may as easily be retorted on our Bre. that wheÌ„ they had done al that euer they could except not onely they would cleane take away all the great dignities which is their drift and which some be glad to barken after but take away withall the inferiour benefices froÌ„ the fattest Parsonage to the porest Vicarige also yet woulde therâ— bee corruptions and abuses still in diuers persons though their might be the lesse ambitious suings when the liuinges were so horribly spoiled which indéede were a worse spoyle than any is made and more detestable And yet would there be ambition still far peraduenture worse in another more perilous sort than any now there is Diogenes when he sayd that he tramplâ—d downe Platonis fastum the pompe of Plato it was well aunswered sed maiore fastu but with a greater pompe then Plato had Shal wee speake heere any thing of the popish Priesthood the greatest blasphemie that euer was howe longe was it allowed for a lawefull Ministerye vntill by the godlye meaning of the sayde Parlyament some brande-marke of shame was sette vppon it But how pitifullye that aucthoritye was abused whereas by the same statute committed to the Bishoppes in allowing of Priestes that came to doe their pennaunce by negligence of the Byshoppes and bribeâ—ye of their officers the countrye cryeth out of it and the state of the Churche is little amended by it Olde sir Iohn lacke latine that had not seene some of his Benefices a dosen yeare before was carryed aboute on his mare and sometimes on a carte firste to the Bishop whome he chose if he might for his purpose such a one as had beene a priest of his owne order and cared leaste what Ministers serue in his diocoese and then from shire to shire one distante an hundreth myle from another mumbling vp his Articles in his morrow masse voyce in euerye Church where he had liuing and returned as verie a beaste as he came Wee account the Popish Priestehood as great blasphemy as our brethren doe But how long say they was it allowed for a lawefull ministerye Neuer allowed at all amongste vs saye wée For euen when the masse was abolished their blasphemous sacrificing ministerie was abolished for an vnlawfull ministerye And yet as vnlawfull as that blasphemous ministerye was in respect of most horrible blasphemies that it was corrupted with all especially their vnbloudye sacrifice yet can wée not saye that it was in all respectes meerely no ministerye at all nor had anye lawfull actions in that vnlawfull ministerie The Pharises though otherwise sectaries and mainteyning blasphemous errours and were the deadly enemies of Christe and his Gospell yet did not Christe vtterly condemne their ministery but that he sayd they sat in Moses chayre and had the key of knowledge And so now and then some of the popish priestes preached the truth in some things For if our brethren will make them but meere laye men then are neither they nor wee any ministers at all but mere laye men also For who ordeyned vs ministers but such ministers as were either their selues of their Ministerie or at leaste were made ministers of those ministers except they will saye the people can make ministers and that which is more we must eyther graunt that he which is no minister but a meere lay man may baptise which our brethren vtterly haue denied or els that al those which were borne in the time of that ministery were not at all baptized and so not onely a great many both of vs and of our brethren are not yet baptised but that also baptisme vtterly ceased in the churches Yea that so the Church and all ceased when there was no other ministerie And therfore we must not vtterly condeÌ„ne the whole ministerie but distinguish betwene it the good therin on the one side the blasphemies al the bad therin on the other side which did corrupt it This corruptioÌ„ is to be takeÌ„ froÌ„ it and then the Ministerie it selfe which is the office of teaching or preaching of the word of God the Ministration of the Sacraments of Christ the making of publike prayers and the gouerning or executing of those thinges that perteyne to the publike gouernment and discipline of the Church is good and lawfull Neyther were any of these so excellent Ministers Luther Suinglius oecolompadius Caluine Bucer Peter Martyr many others made Ministers a newe but disclaimed onely and renounced all the errors corruptions and blasphemeis in the Ministerie
Scriptures so also it maye reade these two volumes hee speaketh of Iesus the sonne of Syrach and the booke of wisdome to the aedification of the people not to confirme the authoritye of Ecclesiastical opinions or decrees Or are they offended that yet thus much should be giuen to the apocryphall Scriptures that they should bee read at all in the Churche for a dification in example of life and instruction of manners but to be vtterlye neglected or defaced as some haue not spared to bestowe very grosse speeches on all the apocriphall Scripture but bicause this againe is not so much for the distinction of Canonicall and Apocriphall bookes as for the estimation of them I thinke they meane not of anye grosse or palpable error in these words If they doe by the grace of god wee shall the eaâ—â—ier cleare them by the testimonie of manye whome our brethren I hope wil not burden with so grosse speeches Especially when the whole Frenche Churche in their confession goeth as far foorth héerein as we doe where hauing reckoned vp the whole Canonicall Scripture of the olde Testament and the newe agreeing in all the particuler bookes with vs in the fourth article they saye These bookes wee acknowledge to bee canonicall that is wee haue them as the squire and rule of our Fayth and that not onely by the common consent of the church but also much more by the testimonye and inwarde perswasions of the the holye ghoste by whose suggestion we are taught to discerne them from other Ecclesiasticall bookes which as they may be profitable neuerthelesse they are not of that sort that any article of the faith may be established out of them To whome accordeth the confession of the churches of Bâ—lgia or the lowe Countries Who after their lyke enumeratioÌ„ of the canonicall bookes in the fiue and sixe articles saye on this wise These onelye bookes wee receaue as holy and canonicall vppon which our fayth may staye bee confirmed and established c. Moreouer wee make a difference betweene these holy bookes and those which they call appocrypha that it to wit because the appocryphall may indeede be read inthe church and it is laweful also so farre foorth to take instructions out of them as far as they agree with the canonicall bookes Howbeit they haue not that authoritye and force that any opinion of the fayth and christian Religion can bee certainelye builded on their testimonye So farre is it off that they can infringe or diminishe the authoritye of others And if after these I maye alleage any priuate mans confession I commend the Reuerende Zanchius Who in his confession chap. 1. Aphorisme 4. after the like particular rehersall that our Articles make of the bookes canonicall and not Canonicall in the olde Testament he sayth Thus much of the olde But out of the newe Testament wee except none For although there bee some of them of which it was doubted in the olde tyme notwithstanding euen they also were afterwarde no whit lesse acknowledged than were the other to bee the writinges of the apostles vnto whose iudgement we also subscribe Of the former sorte are the Gospels after Matthew Marke Luke Iohn the actes of the apostles the Epistles of Paule the former of Peter the former of Iohn Of the later sorte are the Epistle to the Hebrues the Epistle of Iames the later of Peter the seconde and thirde of Iohn the Epistle of Iude the Apocalypse For although they maye seeme after a kinde of sorte to bee of a certayne greater authoritye of the which it was neuer doubted than those of which sometymes it was doubted notwithstanding wee beleue as well the one as the other euen as the certaine word of God As for the Apocryphall bookes that are conteyned in the Bybles volume wee giue them the firste place after the Canonicall And therefore wee vse onelye the Canonicall bookes to prooue the opinions or decrees of Fayth and with the Fathers wee teache that they are to bee vsed as for the other wee thinke that they haue no small authoritye to confirme afterwarde those thinges that already are prooued Thus writeth Zanchius agreeing with our articles And heereto also he quoteth Hierome in Praef. in Salo. Cyp. in Symb. pag. 377. conc Load cap. 59. But what neede I labour thus to cléere our Article herevpon when the Geneua Bible it selfe hath as much as this comes too saying the bookes that followe in order after the Prophetes vnto the newe Testament are called Apocrypha that is bookes which were not receaued by a common consent to be read and expounded publikelye in the Churche neyther yet serued to prooue any poynte of Christian Religion saue in as much as they had the consent of other scriptures called canonicall to confirme the same or rather whereon they were grounded but as bookes proceeding from godlye men were receaued to be read for the aduauncement and furtherance of the knowledge of the historie and for the instruction of Godly maners Is not this as muche héere as is in anye thing conteyned in these wordes of our bookes article for the vse and credite of the Apocriphall bookes and wherein then for these wordes doeth lye suche grosse and palpable errour as they burthen this article withall for nothing remayneth nowe therein not examined but the enumeration of the bookes themselues which are counted of vs for Canonicall which for Apocryphall And doe not these Articles keepe the same accompte both for the number and for the Bookes of both sortes that all these aforesayde and the verye Geneua translation doth except they will take aduauntaâ—e heerein that where the Geneua calleth Ezra and Nehemiah as Zanchius calleth them the two former of Esdras our article reteyneth still the vsuall calling of them the firste booke of Esdras the seconde booke of Esdras because it treateth also muche of Esdras But I trust that our Bretheren will not in anye wise accounte of that for a grosse and palpable or anye Errour at all considering howe ordinarilye it hath gone by these names and in Ieromes preface hee saythe Neyther let it mooue anye bodye that one booke is of vs set foorth nor let him bee delighted in the dreames of the third and fourth booke Bicause also among the Hebrues the speeches of Esdras and Nehemiah are straightened into one Volume c. As the bookes matter we keepe iust reckoning if their offence be bicause wee counte none Appocryphall in the newe Testament what do wee otherwise than Zanchius doth Than the Geneua Testament doth yea than the Frenche the Heluetian and the Dutch reformed Churches doe and therefore where these grosse errours and palpable shoulde bee in this article they are so grosse and palpable that we can yet neyther see nor feele them When our bretheren can shewe and prooue them I for my parte will by Gods assistance wilfullye defende no knowne errour Now since we cannot find this let vs come to their
ministerie of the preaching of the same shall vnderstand to be prositable for aedifying of the Church of Christe and the aduauncement of the glory of God If any shall offend against the Lawes whether he be a Preacher or hearer besides the Ecclesiasticall censure which hee shoulde not escape he is also to be punished in body by the ciuill Magistrate They haue not yet eyther by these or by ought else before spoken made it appeare howe farre it is lawfull for Princes to intermedle with causes ecclesiasticall And howe their supreme authoritie therein which is farre higher then onely intermedling stretcheth As for the things which heere as a recapitulation they set downe are nothing so much as they graunted before For although they say that it is the cheefest point of their duetie to haue especiall regard that God may bee glorified in their Dominion yet that doth not shewe what especiall authoritie they haue therein and how farre foorth they haue it If they say that they do this in the conclusion following these wordes And therefore they ought to make ciuill Lawes to binde the people vnto the Confession of the true fayth and the right administring and receiuing of the Sacraments and to all Eccl. orders What haue they graunted heere to her Maiestie but the onely making of ciuill Lawes and thus the conclusion when all comes to al is not so much as that they graunted before or at leaste made vs a shewe thereof And yet they made to great daintie in the graunt thereof with so many exceptions which graunt notwithstanding we gladly accepted at their handes and made much of it that it is not onely lawfull but also necessarie for princes if they will doe their duetie to looke to the reformation of religion and to make lawes of Ecclesiasticall matters so that we confounde not the offices of the Prince and the Pastor Heere euerie man that meaneth no subtiltie woulde straight haue thought that as the pastor hath some part of looking to the reformation of religion and of making Lawes of matters Ecclesiasticall pertayning to the office of a pastor distinct from the office of a prince so the prince also hath some parts of looking to the reformation of religion of making lawes of matters Eccl. pertaining to the office of a prince distinct from the office of a pastor And that although the partes of eyther of their offices be distinct yet in the verie looking to that reformation of Religion and to the verie making of those Lawes of matters Ecclesiasticall they both of them dointermeddle which is the terme that their selues euen héere do vse But see nowe what a fayre gift our Brethren haue héere graunted It is lawfull and necessarie for Princes to make Lawes of matters Ecclesiasticall What Lawes Forsooth they ought to make ciuill lawes to bind the people vnto the confession of true faith and the right administring of the Sacraments and to all Ecclesiasticall orders Yea forsooth in this last and third point lieth chiefely the question of making lawes But haue they any stroke in making lawes of any those Eccl. orders No but onely that they being instructed by the word of God through the ministery of the preaching of the same shall vnderstand to be profitable to the edifyeng of the Church and the aduancement of the glorie of God should bynde the people to them What should they make ciuill lawes to bynde the people to them before that they be made lawes and orders Ecclesiasticall or howe can they be made lawes and orders Ecclesiasticall doth the scripture make all the lawes and orders Ecclesiasticall that are made or is the ministerie of the preaching of the same a sufficient instruction for the Prince to take them for Ecclesiasticall lawes bycause they put him to vnderstand that they be profytable for edifying the Church of Christ and aduancement of the glorie of God so that what they shall say as profitable héereunto that is a lawe or he must so take it or else still I demaund who had the authoritie to make those lawes and orders Ecclesiasticall except they shall say they were all made before there were any christian Princes which was theyr former refuge Albeit Moses Iosue Dauid Salomon c. will ouer-reach that shift for they had a stroke euen in the verie making of Ecclesiasticall lawes and orders them selues and not onely in the making of ciuill lawes for Ecclesiasticall lawes and orders to bynde the people vnto them and so had also dyuers Christian Princes since Christes time many of whose lawes are Ecclesiasticall lawes themselues and Canons of the Church in the Canon lawe and not onely ciuill lawes made to binde the people to keepe the Canon lawes or Ecclesiasticall orders and such also are diuers lawes of the auncient Bryttish and English Kings in this Realme and the Epistle of Eleutherius himselfe if it be his giueth Lucius no lesse authoritie But is this all that our Brethren will allow to Christian Princes and no further authoritie than this yes If any shall offend against the lawes whether he be Preacher or hearer beside the Ecclesiastical censure which he should not escape he is also to be punished in body by the ciuill Magistrate And is this againe all that we shall get more than before we got for the supreme authoritie of the Christian Prince in Ecclesiasticall matters and what more is héere graunted to the Prince than the verie Papists yea than the Pope himselfe as proude and iniurious to Princes as he is will graunt vnto them to make ciuill lawes for the defence of the lawes Ecclesiasticall that he and his Cleargy onely do make making the Princes to be the onely punishers and as it were their executioners of iustice vpon them that shall offend against their lawes This they can well allow and like that Princes should haue authority to punish the offender in body besides the Ecclesiasticall censure which the offender shall not escape at their hands and for this cause they call the Emperour the Churches aduocate and the Pope himselfe yéelded this title to King Henry the eyght to be called the defender of the faith and will our Brethren yéeld no better supremacy nor greater authority to christian Princes and so to her Maiesty than the Papists and the very Pope wil offer to yéeld her so that her Maiesty will but make ciuill lawes to bynde the people to their lawes and Ecclesiasticall orders that the Pope and his Cleargie shall make and that if any shall offend in body against his lawes whether he be Preacher or hearer besides the Ecclesiasticall censure which he should not escape he is also to be punished in body by the ciuill Magistrate all this doth the Pope offer to all the Princes in theyr dominions that haue not cast off the yoke of his subiection but liue in greatest seruitude vnder him and yet our new Pastors make all this mincing to graunt but thus
same Guthrune and Allfred had before made but belike not till then sette foorth which lawes were these Before all thinges they enact that one God onely should be honorably and holily worshipped dispising and renouncing all the barbarous worship And then because they certainely knewe that many would not be kept in the boundes of their dutie nor obey the Eccl. discipline without them they prouided humane lawes to be written out and they sette forth the lawes pertayning to Christe in common together with the lawes pertayning to the king that by these the rashnes of them might be restrayned that would not obey the commandements of the Bishop This therefore did they first decree That the peace of the Church within her walles and that the tranquillitie which is deliuered by the hande of the king should be kept godly and inuiolably And so they procéede against them that forsake the Christian fayth Against eccl persons that robbe the Churches that fight or periure themselues or commit fornication c. And against incest If anie being condemned desire to confesse himselfe to the Priest that all doo-earnestly and diligently promote all the lawes of God c. For payment of tithes for the money â—hat then was payde to Rome called the Peter pence for the Church lightes for the plowe almes or as I take it almes giuen by the rate of their plow lande and if any Dane denied or suppressed the diuine rightes or duties Of them that doe their businesses on the Lordes daye of fastinges And iudiciall swearinges on the festiuall dayes and against witches Of those that are entred into orders and are deceaued of their goods Next of these are the lawes of Ethelstane I Ethelstane the king by the prudent Counsell of the Arch-bishop Vlfhelme and of other my Bishoppes doe verie straightly charge and commaunde all the Gouernours that are in my dominion by the holie diuine powers of God and of all the Saintes and for my loue that I beare to them that before all other thinges they paye the iust and due tenthes or tythes of that that is mine owne in proper as well of liuing beastes as of the yearely profites comming of the earth which thing besides mee euerie one of my Bishops Senators and Gouernors shall do c. After Athelstane followeth Edmunde In the solemne feast of Easter king Edmunde did celebrate at London a great assembly as well of the Ecclesiasticall persons as of the Laye in the which were present Oda and the Arch-bishop Wolstane and many other Bishops to consult about the health of their soules and all them that they had care of First they that haue entred into holy orders and of whom the people of God ought to require the example of vertue to followe the same they shall leade their life chastly as the reason of their order shall suffer be they men or women which thing if they shall not doe they shall be punished according to the rules of their orders that is to witte they shall forfeit all their earthly possessions so long as they liue and beeing dead they shall not be buried with holy buriall except that they amended their manners Euery Christian shall religiously pay their tythes and the first fruites of their seedes and the money that is due for the plowe almes He that payeth it not let him be accursed Euerie Bishop at his owne charges shal repaire the house of God and may admonish the king that the other Churches may be decently adorned which is a very necessary matter Whosoeuer forswere themselues or make any barbarous sacrifices except they repent and amend their minde the sooner they shall for euer be debarred of all the diuine seruices I Edmund the King to all that are in my Dominion and power yong and olde doe clearely signify that I haue earnestly inquired of the moste skilfull of my kingdome in the assembly as wel of the Ecclesiasticall as lay persons by what meanes Christendome might be moste aduaunced and it seemed best vnto vs all that we should nourish loue and mutuall good will amongst vs through out all our Dominions for we are all wearie of these continuall fightinges And therefore we ordeyne in this manner And so hee procéedeth to Lawes for these matters After this follow the Lawes of Edgar The Lawes which Edgar the King decreed in the great Senate God to loue and him-selfe to preserue and to benefite all his Lordship or Dominion And so hee also procéedeth to the making of Lawes Eccl. Of the rightes immunities and tithes of the Church Of the manner of their tything to them that haue a place of buriall in the Church Of the times when the tythes of all sortes are due to payde of the Penie to Rome out of euery house Of the Feast dayes and fastings And then he commeth to humaine and politike Lawes Thus did all these Saxon Kinges with the aduice of their Bishops Cleargy make as well Ecclesiasticall Lawes as temporall with the aduice of the Lordes and other their officers temporall And this they did their selues and by their owne authoritie and not onely allowed of that which the Bishops and Cleargie before had decreed All which I alleage not to allowe of all those their Ecclesiasticall decrees for many of the thinges especially in the Kings following were full of superstition and error as by Gods permission the blindnesse of the time then was but I note them onely for the point in question of the Princes authoritie not onely in making Ciuill Lawes for Ecclesiasticall matters but in making Lawes of Ecclesiasticall matters and so in making Ecclesiasticall Lawes themselues And thus it continued heere in Englande till the Danes got the Kingdome Neither did Canutus the Dane take vpon him any whit lesse the dealing in Ecclesiasticall matters than the Saxon Kings had done but rather sheweth it more liuely than all the other as appeareth in the collection of his Lawes as well Ecclesiasticall as temporall The decree that Canutus King of the English men of the Danes and of the Norwayes to the loue of God to his own ornament and to the profit of his people enacted at Winchester on the feast of Mid wintertide or the natiuitie of Christe First that all men shall through out all ages honourablie and aboue all other thinges worship one God And holde religiously the onely Christian religion and loue the king Canutus with all fidelitie and obseruaunce Let vs maintain the temple of God with Godly continuall peace let vs all often frequent it both for the health of our soules and for the encrease and profite of other things for the onely peace of Christ comprehendeth all the Churches and therefore it is meete that all Christians holde the Church in greate worship and honour For the peace of God ought to bee desired and retayned aboue other thinges And next after that the kings peace ought to bee
the Princes authority that none but the Prince can doe and this prerogatiue be to make such Ecclesiasticall lawes as some of these Princes Lawes were howe doeth not this seruice plainely include the Princes supreme gouernment in Ecclesiasticall causes And sith this seruice of the Princes vnto Christ consisteth principally in making lawes for Christ no maruell then if the holy ghost exhort Princes to be wise and to be learned and to vnderstand as the most necessary thing for them to vnderstand the state of the Ecclesiasticall gouernment So that if their Clergie forstowe to doe their duetie yet the Prince by this wisedome learning and vnderstanding might as well be able to giue aduise againe if néede be euen to his Cleargie in the making of many Ecclesiasticall lawes and orders as to take aduise of them As wee sée how diuers of the forenamed Princes did and that by their authoritie with the aduice of wise and learned men both make lawes of Ecclesiasticall matters and haue a supreme gouernment in the maintenance and direction of them Musculus writing on these woordes And now ye kings vnderstande c. The nations and people saith he and much more say I the Clergie are not excluded but Kings Iudges are by name called to bethinke them selues euen for this cause that they are the heads of the nations and of the people conteyning in the nation Clergie and al to whome it principally apperteineth to be subiect vnto the Lord and to giue themselues to bee leaders of the people that are their subiects vnto this true obedience For in two respects it standeth them vpon to be obedient to the Lord first bicause they are subiect to his power as are all other mortall men and then because they are made his peculier Ministers to this purpose that hauing receaued power ouer their subiectes they shoulde both their selues the will of God and cause their subiects to be obedient to it And Marlorate vpon these wordes Serue the Lord in feare noting out of Caluin saith Princes therefore in this place are admonished that they shall then raigne happilie when their power is nothing else but Gods seruice That is to say where in commaunding and bidding they serue not their owne lust but gods will neither vsurpe that tyrannical speech Sic volo sic iubeo stet proratione voluntas Thus wil I haue it thus I bid it be it stands for reasō that it pleaseth me But they say Sie volo sic iubeo quia sic divina volunt as mandat cui soli cuncta subesse decet thus will I haue it thus I bid it be because this is the will of Gods decree He bids it bee to whome what ere he say all creatures will they nill they ought obey Let them also note this place which deny the power of the king secular Magistrat as they cal him to haue ought to do in a cause of a religion For although the kingdom of Christ be in the harts of the beleeuers notwithstanding it apperteineth to the Magistrate to haue a care that the doctrine of the word may be retined in the Church that Idolatry and false worship may bee taken awaye that the Ministers of the church may be commodiously mainteined that the aduersaries may be repressed then to forbid the name of God to be blasphemed to bring to passe that such as leade a godly life may liue in safety but the wicked persons those that are vnquiet may be punished restrained ned This then is the Princes seruice vnto God And is not this as much as to make good Eccl. lawes orders with the aduice counsell of the wise godly learned clergy as hath done and doth her Maiestie But now our brethren after they haue tryed whether they shoulde preuaile by these two aforesaid testimonies least these should not preuail in striuing against the Princes authority in Eccl. matters they adioyn a third vnto them out of the new testament saying And especially it is to be noted where S. Paule commaundeth prayers and supplications to be made for the conuersion of kings vnto the knowledge of the truth and their own saluation that he alleageth this reason that we may leade a quiet and peaceable life in all godlines honesty vnder their protection A godly honest life we may liue vnder enimies of the church persecutors but a peaceable and quiet life in all godlines honesty onely vnder a christian Prince If they do it as paraphrasts by way of some part of exposition they adde these words well vnder their protection But in that they set them downe as the words of the text me thinketh it somwhat ouer bold so to cite the holy scripture or yet as paraphrasts if they so limite the end of our prayers and supplications for Kings Princes which in these three benefites that the Apostle citeth stretcheth a great deale farther than to protection onely For as Dauid and other godly Princes were they may be both protectors and procurers of the same yea the chiefe gouernors and directors in the setting foorth and maintenance of them Neither is S. Paules exhortation to pray for Princes to be restrained onely to the praiers supplications to be made for the conuersion of kings vn the knowledge of the truth but it stretcheth further yea generally as well for those that are conuerted as those that are to be conuerted as well to giue thanks for the one as to pray for the other not onely for their owne saluation but that by their meanes all their subiects likewise may attaine to the way of saluation He reckoneth vp saith Caluine the fruits that spring vnto vs out of a principality that is well ordered the first is a quiet life For the magistrats are armed with the sword to kepe vs in peace Except they should beate downe the audaciousnes of wicked men al things would be ful of robberies slaughters c. The second fruit is the conseruation or saluation that is to wit while the Magistrats indeuour to nourish religion to plant the worship of God to require the reuerence of holy thinges The 3. is the care of publike honestie c. If these 3. things be taken away what is the state of mans life if any care therfore either of publike tranquility or of Godlines or of honesty touch vs let vs remember to haue consideration of them by the ministery of whom so excellent things do come into vs. Thus doth Caluin confesse that the Ministery of the Prince stretcheth as far foorth in procuring vnto vs the benefit of religion as of the other twain therfore he concludeth that we must pray for Princes aswell as much if not much more for this benefite as for the other Yea saith he If any man shall aske whether prayer ought also to bee made for the Kings of whom we receaue no such thing I
l. 1. than 830 l. 6 are not 831 l. 13â— is 836 l. 22 dele the heaâ—ing 839 l. 5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 840 l. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 841 l. 1 1. Tim. 4.844 l. 9 some gouernement in the church seperated both from others and from this sole 85 1 l. 46 neither 855 l. 42 vnpreaching 856 l. 8. perusall 876 l. 28 proportion ib. margi Theophilact 787 l. 9 life 883 l. 13 the. 914 l. 13 Epistle 922 l. 37 yee 923 l. 40 of elders 924 l. 26 them 938 l. 21 driueth 942 marg 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 943 l. 36 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 962 l. 21 driue vs. 972 l. 3 chosen counsels 975 l. 3 dele for 993 l. 13 whosoeuer 994 l. 6 is 996 l. 37 assessors 1002 l. 35 they 1003 l. 8 Sari 1007 l. 28 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1029 l. 4 that 1037 lâ— 35 any thing 1044 l. 19 is 1048 l. 5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1052 l. 10 meere 1057 l. 4 confute 1062 l. 24 and him 10â—3 l. 42 disputed 1114 l. 33 to be 1116 l. 27 or shee 1120 l. 17 communion 1138 l. 32 them 1144 l. 2 discourses and. 1152 l. â— all alike 1164 l. 1 seate l. 14 came l. 32 confirme 1176 l. 26 as 1182 l. 25 then no. 1295 l. 14 distractions 1198 l. 28 dele worthie 1204 l. 13. humor 1209 l. 36 to 1216. l. 9 still 1236 l. 4 seuerelie 1243 l. 12 is 1244 l. 6 which 1251 l. 37 crie 1254 l. 21 dele pro. 1255 marg proiudiciall 1256 l. 22 without 1261 l. 3 reference 1266 l. 2 no. 1287 l. 13 Seigniorie 1317 l. 28 the. ib. l. 39 40 Lord Bishop 1325 l. 3 reference 1348 l. 2 they â—350 l. 41 seate 1357 l. 2â— God 1361 l. 16 be 1365 l. 9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1366 marg artic ib. marg reference These lines following are to be referred vnto the endes of their seuerall pages as they are here quoted thus as they ministred before by preaching vnto his beautie which hath there for the time bin vnworthilie defiled here committed the churches consent yet that the regiment is a consent of them is doubtfully Gal. 5. â— 1. Pet. 5.8.9 Psal. 133. Prou. 6.16 Ioh. 54.27 Ioh. 15.11.12 Ioh. 16.33 Gal. 4.15 Math. 12.28 1. Esd. 3.35 Phil. 4.5 Eccl. 4.28 Rom. 12.18 Phil. 1.9 10 11. The Preface 1. Pet. 1.9.10 Lamen 1.2.3 4. Ioel. 2. Bridges Our BrethereÌ„s abusing of the spirit of God and of the Propheâ—s lamâ—tations S. Peters Testimony wrested The acknowledgement of our sins and Gods wrathe The fault in our selues not in our Lawes and Orders The True Causes of our ioye mourning 1 Iohn 2. The causes of our brethrens mourning Preface Bridges Her Mâ— his most ho. counsell wrongfully challenged Her Maiest reigne not tempestuous Her Maieâ—â— comfort to the ministery Her Maiest her moste hon counsels zeale care wrongfully burdened of our brethreÌ„ for not driuing out of the Cananits c. How farre christians are charged with that coÌ„mandement Difference of the opeÌ„ couert obstiuare and weake papists Her Ma. her moste hon counsels zeale care in planâ—ing pruning and hedging of the L. vineyarde Our bretherens restraining the authority of her Maiesty VVhom our brethren meane by Cananits Foxes The impediments of endâ—ng this ciuill warre The raisers of this ciuill warre The Preface Nehem. 4.2.3.4 Nehem. 4.7 Neh. 6.5.6 Neh. 10.11.12 Ioel. 19. Amos. 8.11.12.13 Bridges VVhom our brethren cal Cananits foxes How these termes redounde on themselues The peaceable and reasonable way that our brethren deuise of reconcilement The regiment cannot be christian and happie wheral the godly learned and faithfull ministers sâ—ffer affliction Our brethreÌ„ graunt the church of Eng. regiment to be christian happie Our brethrâ— causers of their ownâ— afflictionâ— The afflictions whereof our brethreÌ„ complaine Our Bretherens vnbrotherly sclauÌ„ders Our bretherâ—ns and our building Our bretherens nearer imitation of those Hammonits c. Who are lyker to vnder miners RevYlinge The displacinge of our Bretheren Our Brethâ—rens Learning godlines The Priestes mouâ—ning The famine prophesied of Amos. 8 11.12 13 How we are rather glutted then famâ—shed with Gâ—ds word Our bretherens contentions make the worde the searser Preface The way that our brethreÌ„ seâ—ke of reconcilement The inconuenience of publishing bookes without authority The thinges that our brethren seeke for haue no necessity of truth out of the Scripâ—ures No good pâ—obability of truth out of the scriptures Preface Bridges How farre forth they yeeld autority to her Maiesty The learning godlinesse moderation of the debaters If the debaters shoulde be moderat men then should our brethren vse more moderation in their tearmes not be so peremptory in their dealing The debating of the questions the allowing of them The manner of the debating Who shal be the determiner Preface Act. 15.7 1. Cor. 14.13 32. 1. â—or 2.4 Bridges The naked triall of the matter Our brethreÌ„s desire to conferre by waye of prophesying Lordlie carriyng awaye the matter Preface 1. Cor. 14.33 Act. 14.16 Bridges Bitternes to be left off Charging of men dead and aliue Mouing affections The alleaging of the late and ancient writers Preface Bridges Our bretherens presupposal of our obiections The 1. obiection of coÌ„parison betweene the Archb. B. our bretheren ComparisoÌ„ of age and youth CoÌ„parison of learning CoÌ„parison of authority The 2. obiection of our bretherens chalenge to be not vnlike the papists chalenge The 3. obiection of preiudice to the estate of gouernement established Bridges Our brethrens answer to these three obiections The ambiguitie of this answer The quieting of all The remoouing of the plagues Our brethrens bold and humble request vpoÌ„ their knees Preface Ioh. 32.7.8 Ioh. 32.21.22 2. Chron. 30.1.5.23 ver Act. 15.23 Gal. 1.1 Act. 11. â— 2.3.4 c. Doctor Whitegiftes book p. 389. Bridges Our bretherens aunswere to the first obiect in yeelding for yeares learning Their exception of the reuelation of Gods spirit Our Replie Our bretherens examples Ezâ—chias The Apostles and Elders Act. 15. S. Paul Gal. 1. â— Ezechias dealing with the priests and Leuites The exaÌ„ple of Hezechias and the Leuites coÌ„ futeth our brethren The example also of the apostles and elders Act. 15. is cleane against theÌ„ Our bretherens gifts in interpreting the scriptures not denied Though diuerse doctors in learning excelled yet in gouernmeÌ„t they were inferiour Our bretherens haling of the Archbishops wordes Our bretherens intricat speeches Our bretherenâ— refusall to subscribe to the Arch. aâ—ticles The articles 1. Article of the supremacy the 2. article of the communion booke The 3. Arti. of the book of articles Ano. 1562 The inconueniences of refusing to subscribe to the â—se â—seâ—â— articles The cleargâ—es subscription in K. Ed. time How dangerous our brethrens pretence is of straining conscience Preface Bridges ComparisoÌ„ of number for fewnesse or multitud Our bretherens exceptions from our nuÌ„ber Of ignoraÌ„t
Ecclesiast matters Difference betweene the Prince and his gov and the 4. Tetrarcks Directing gouâ—rning What our brethren meane by directing The Prince called supr gover in a bare title If the prince be indeed the supreme Gouernour then must our brethreÌ„ submitte them-selues to the gouernement established The worde Supreame The Princessupreme gov sclan The iniurie offered to the Prince in the last place Our breth captious sclaunder of the Princes supreame gouermeÌ„t A sclaunderoussurmise of the Christian Prince Things not to be measured by seeming Some regiment of the Church dependeth on the Princes supream gouernement A sclanderous myste The eyes of the ignorant dazeled with this myste The casting foorth of such false suspitions is not wel done The terme of ciuil Magistrate How farre our breth denie or graunt this sclaunder Her Ma. claimeth no such absolute power The learned discourse Page 8. Bridges The Princes auth in indifferent matters Indifferent matters referred to the Princes disposition Princes couÌ„sellers to giue aduise The Princes authoritie in disposing indifferent matters Our bretherens motion of this point Our breth answere The reasons of their answere The breaking off the further answere till hereafter The weighing of our brethrens answere How far our bretheren grauÌ„t to the Princes disposing indifferent matters Our brethren grauÌ„t it and yet finde faulte with them that grauÌ„t it Who are these not indifferent iudges Mistaking indifferent for not indifferent The Princes right heereby not preiudiced The Prince slandered Her maiest right and dooings vnworthilie defaced The ciuill magistrate The subiects accusatioÌ„ of the Prince The heighnousnesse of this slander â—ot to be an indifferent iudge The cheefest pointâ— of a Iudges office The dangâ—r of this accusation The Prince sclandered The Prince directlie accused so wel as others in authoritie The greeuousnesse of our brethoffence in this slander The Prince Slandered Inconsiderate zeale Lessening the cause dooth aggrauate the faulte This accusation reacheth further then we accuse the Pope It helpeth not that heâ— Maiestie is not by name accused The Prince with others sclandered Our bretherens accusation of others with the Prince Where in these others are accused The Princes clearing not to dispose these matters all alone Whether the faulte be in these others Rebels practise These otherâ— giue the Prince no absolute power c. These others feare God These others intrude not themselues into the office of iudging These others take not the disposing to themselues but giue it to the Prince Both these others and the Prince cleered How indifferentlie these others are thus accused for these indifferent matters The further parts of this accusation Whether things lawfullie determined are not so of the subiects to be holden inuiolablâ—e How farre they are further to be inquired vpon The calling things determined into further questioâ— â—he conclusion of all this accusation How this toucheth all politike matters How daâ—gerouslie this accusation reacheth from indifferent matters in eccle causes to all politike matters The learned discourse Page 9. and 10. Bridges To beginne with the Princes author needfull VVhether it be needefull to beginne with the Princes authoritie Needefull necessarie conuenienâ— Good order of teaching The beginning with the Princes treatise agreeable to good order of teaching The order of our brethren in placing their Tetrarkes The argument to put backe the Princes treatise Our bretherens strife for the first place The argument to put backe the treatise of the Princes authoritie The argument A Learned discourse The hurt of too much affection The argument a priore Our bretherens arg frâ— senioritie Our bretherens conclusion not in question The argument à Priore A thing is saide to be before another in diuers senses Former in time inferreth not former in order much lesse in honour Former in time Examples of the later in time former in order Former in honour not alwaies former in order Former in dignitie The Papists argument à pâ—iore for traditions The propositioÌ„ vntrue The Churches regiment bettered by Christian princes The Churches regiment c. The healps that Our Bretheren graunt the Churche receyveth by the ChristiaÌ„ Prince Our bretheren straye from the question by them sâ—lues propounded The diffeâ—ence of the Churches â—â—rfeâ—â—ion in regiment The Anabaptistes arguments confuted The state of the time differing the argument faileth for the regimeÌ„t Difference of peculiar regiment for a special time ordinary regiment to coÌ„tinue It is not meete our BrethreÌ„ shoulde vse the same Argum that the Ana-Baptists doâ— against Princes Gellius Snecanus de Magistratu The Ciuill Magistrate hath euer from the beginning bin ioyned with the Eccl. ministery The Testimonies Rom 12. 1. Cor. 12. for Rulers serue aswel to the Magist. as to the Eccl. gouernours The ciuill Eccles. power alwaies ioyned in the Church Gellius confutation of our bretherens argumentes Our neighbours state commended before so much by our bretheren see how it is trobled with the Anabaptists Christian Princes froÌ„ the beginning The state of the old Testament and new all one Of the extraordinary power of punishing where they wanted the ordinary The Anabaptists obiection Christian Princes in the Apost times The vntruth of our brethrens asseâ—tion that there were no Magist. in Christs his Apostles times One the same ordinaunce in both Testa for Magist. The fallatioÌ„ and the aunswer the reto Distinction between the ordinance of God the vice of men The necessitie of a Magistâ—ate among Châ—â—stians A Church without magistracy neuer seene The godlye haue neede of the Mag Rather no common-wealth without a christian Magistrate then a Magist excluded c. The Magist. office necessary to the Church Certaine of the Proph. Apostles exercised also the office of the Magistrate Why God distinguished these Offices Pag. 599. The exaÌ„ple of Christian Magistrats in Christs the Apost times Our Bretherens exception of Emperours Christiaâ— Princes froÌ„ the beginning The Magist. lost no authoritie by professing Christianity Actes 25. The Ch. Regim more happy where Christ. Princes are The Churches state Our bretherens harde speeches of Christian Princes Paules wish of Christian Princes The Churches perfection and most blessed state 2. Pat. 2. The Church in better state vnder Christian Princes theÌ„ c. To great vnthankfulnes towards her Maiestie Her Maiest fauour of the Gospell How her Maiestie vnder pretence of commendation is discommeÌ„ded The primitiue state Good Princes a great blessing c. ill Princeâ— a great curse of God Isai. 49.23 How God can turne his curse to a blessing How the Primitiue state was blessed and yet pitifull No such Eccl. Gouernours in the Apostles times as our Brethren pretâ—nd What the Gouernourâ— were mentioned 1. Cor. 12. 1. Cor. 6. The Corinthians had no ordinarie consistorie of eccle Gouernors among theÌ„ We hauing Christian Princes are not bound to such Iudges as the Corinth did choose The danger of imitating the Primitiue Churches regiment heere in Caution in mutation CautioÌ„ in imitating examples or prescribing
Our Breth Gouernors and Pastors and their elections haue no proofe in Gods word Our Breth vnthankfulnesse to the Byshops Princes making lawes Our Breth prescribing lawes to the Prince Our Breth yeelding to the Prince to make lawes for Ecclesiasticall matters The examples of Princes that made such lawes Our Breth restraining of they graunted before to Princes Restraine of Princes making lawes Laws made contrary to the Pastors knowledge Her Maiesties lawfull making laweâ— for Eccl. matters Her Maiesties lawes not made contrarie to the Pastors knowledge Princess lawes in Eccl. matters The Papists vsed the selfe-same reason that our Breeth do against the Princes lawes Her Maiesties lawes against the Papists errors Our Breth dealing against her Maiesties lawes in Ecclesiastical matters On what conditions our brethren will admit her Maiesties supremacie Her Maiesties comfort against these dealings Our Paâ—tors defence of her Maiesties authoritie and lawes against these new Pastors The learned disc pa. 141. Bridges All our Br. graunt of making lawes of Eccl. matters is turned only to ciuill lawes The auncieÌ„t Princes intermedling What intermedling in Eccl. matters our Br. allow to Princes The auncient Princes intermedling The Popes and our Brethrens allowance to Princes Our Breth allowance to Princes for bodily punishments The Popes allowance to Christian Princes The auncient Princes lawes Our Brethren incur bodily punishment by their own grauÌ„t The learned disc pa. 141. 142 Bridges The examples of the auncient Christian Princes authoritie The Princeâ— commaunded the Cleargie to consult and determine on the truth of controversies in doctrine and ceremonies The Emperours dealing The Emperours doingâ— in the Counâ—els Socrates lib. 1. cap. 6. The Empeâ—ours Epistle to the Byshop for the keeping of Easter day The Emperours ownâ— confession of his dealing in the Nicene Counsell The doingâ— of the Emperours deputies iâ— the Counsels The Empâ—rour his selfe appointeth the Byshop of Constantinople The Emperour his selfe disputeth with Heretikes in the Counsell The maner of the Emperours approuing the confession of the true beleeuers The Byshops letters desiring the Emperour to ratify their decrees The Emperour ratiâ—yeth or â—eiecteth all the actes of the Counsell The Emperours Deputies doing in the Counsell The Empresse and the Emperour The Emperour requested to coÌ„maund the Byshop to examin the controuersies and to haue them referred to him as Iudge The Empresse together with the Emperour summoneth the generall Counsell The Emperours presumption of the proceeding in the Counsell The Emperour and Empresse in thâ— Counsell and the cause of their comming thether Iustinian The Emperours dealings Constantinus Pogonatus The Byshop of Romes obedience to the Emperour in the Counsell The Byshop of Romes obedience to the Emperour The Byshop of Romes confession that the Emperour is Christs Vicar in carth c. The Emperour confirmeth the Counsels definition with his total assent The french Kings gouernment of the Ecclesiasticall state Clodoueus in the Counsell at Orleance Guntranus in the Counsell of Matiscone The King had the appointing of the Bishops The Kings decree for annuall Synodes The Kâ—ngs within the Churches discipline The french kings dealings The Counsell refer all their Decrees to the amending of the Prince The Edict of Charles the great to the Bishops and Pastors of Churches The Kings commissioners ioined with the Byshops for the Churches discipline The King taking vpon him the correction of Eccl. maâ—ters is no presumption The Christian Kings ought to follow the examples of the good Kings in the old Testament The princes charge for preaching Alcuinus in praefas lib. de Trinitate Of the princes preaching and priestly power Ludonicus pius his authoritie and dealing in Eccl. matters Ludouicus charge to the Bishop The kinges of spaynes dealinges The examples of the Christian Princes authoritie in the kings of Spayne Richaredus in the CouÌ„cell at Toledo The kinges performing the office of an Apostle The care charge and auth of the Prince for discipline The kinges decree for the peoples confession of their faith at the communion The Spanish kings dealings The dooings of diuerse kinges of Spaine in Councels eccl matter 's The authoritie and dealings of the auncient kinges in this our Britannie Eleutherius acknowlegment of tâ—e kings authoritie in this Realme The Saxon kings dealinges and lawes The lawes of the Saxon kings in eccl matter 's The lawes of king Inas Cap. 1. of the ministers liues Cap. 2. of Infantes Cap. 3. of working on sunday The lawes of the SaxoÌ„ Kings Chap. 4. of the first frutâ— of the seedes Chap. 5. of the Churcheâ— libertie The lawes of Aluredus in eccl matters Act. 15. Aluredes lawes The imposing of pecuniarie mulctes Why a traitors punishment should be capitall King Aluredes owne writing of his sanctions The kings abrogating vnprofitable constitutions The lawes of Edw. the Senior King Alureds collection of the former kings lawes The auth of the other kinges here mentioned The eccl lawes that Aluredus set forth The lawes in eccl mat of Edward the elder of Athelstan king of the east Angles The Princes penall lawes ioyned to the eccl K. Ethel staneslawes 8. and 9. The lawes of Ethelstan in eccl matters The kinges B. Nobles and all the subiectes to pay their iust tithes The lawes of Edmund in eccl matters The Clergies chast life which chastitie was shewed before that it debarred not in B Pastors matrimonie Tythes first fruts almes Reparations of churches Periury and idolatrie The lawes of Edgar in Eccl. â—atters Howe farrâ— these decreeâ— are are not allowable Canutuâ— his Lawes of Eccl mâ—tâ—ers The peace honor of God next after the Princes The Churches orders and digniâ—ies to bee maintained Canutus Lawes for the purgatioÌ„ of a preeste â—ccused The Lawes of Canutus Apurgation of a DeacoÌ„ sclaundered Canuâ—â—â— Lawes for degrees of mariâ—ge Receiuing the Communion thrise a yere Fayth life Duties of Lords to tâ—eir vassâ—iles Obedience to the Teachers Charge to euerie christiaÌ„ to learn â—he L. praier the articles of their beleefe None that hath not learned these things to be admittâ—d to the Communion c. Auoidance of greeuous crimes and repentaunce To flee whoredom The feare of Gods iudgementes The duty of B. Pastors The king tâ—acheth all estates Eccl. and lay The Clergies aduise to the K. This auth of Princes confuteth our Br. restraint therof The Princes doing all by the Clergies aduise debarreth not their supreme authoritie Her Maiestâ—es supremacie The learned disc pa. 142. Bridges The K. follouing of aduise It is no subiection to follow Counsaile How the Counsellers determine how not Vnfaithfull Counsellers The learned disc pa. 143. Bridges The K. dealing by aduise Their examples of the Empire Fraunce Spaine and England cleane against them Their conclusion of reason froÌ„ Counsell aduisement Their reason either against all reason or against themselues The learned disc pa. 143. Bridges Princes seuaunts to the commoÌ„ weale and Lawes This seruice no debasing of their authoritie Aug. in Epist. 48.
50. lib. 5. de ciuit dei cap. 24. How highly good princes esteeme the seruice of God Euâ—eb in li. de vita Constant The King seruing the Churches commoditie The greateâ—â— honor of Princes Our Br pretence of honoring God our Father and seruing to the commoditie of the Church our mother How the Papists vsed these pretenses that our Brethren do A Prince may bee Gods child and yet supreme gouernor The Prophecie of Esay 49. The learned disc pa. 143.144 145. Esai 49.23 Psa. 2.10.11 1. Tim. 2.12 Bridges All these 3. cited testimonies make also against theÌ„ The Papists abuse of this testimonie of Esay Esay 49. The wordes of Esay not spoken so much to fore-tell of Princes abasing them vnder the church as of gouerning it A third part of this testimonie left out whereto the other parts be referred Cal. exposition of the testimonie of Esay The duetie of Princes aboue al other Christians Psalm 2.10 The papists mis. vnderstanding of this place The Christian Princes nourishing of the Church The Princes seruice Psal. 2. Our Br. â— testimonie Psa. 2.10.11 Our Br. that promised to treate of Princes gouerning are nowe all in Princes obeying Our Br. wrong appliyng this testimonie Psalm 2. Psalm 2. How all the Cleargy are inferior to the Prince Aug. in epis 50. ad Bonifacium How the K. serueth God as a man howe as a king The example of the Kinges seruice The seruice that none can do but Princes The Christian Princes supremacie in Eccl. matters The wise christian Prince may aswell giue aduice to his Clergie as take aduice of them Musculus in 2. Psal. Why Princes are most especially called vpon Marloratus in psal 2. The benefits by Princes 1. Tim. 2 In what matters Princes serue the Lord Our Br. third testimonie out of 1. Tim. 2. for the restraynt of the Princes supremacie The Princes authoritie stretcheth further than to protection 1. Tim. 2. Caluin in 1. Tim. 2. The benefites that we haue by the Princes ministerie Why wee should pray for Princes of whome we haue not these benefites The Princes office How hardly we may leade a godly life vnder persecutors Our br renew their old defacing of the Princes authority The excellent benefit that we receaue by a godly prince In the worde godlines S. Paule vnderstandeth the worship of God The Princes duty before all things to set foorth true religion The peaceable quiet life that our Bre. graunt we haue by Princes Our Bre. here confute their former saying Pag 9. Our Bre. sâ—t not foorth the best parts of the benefites by a godly Prince The benefites that we receiue from God by her maiesty Beza in Christ confesse ca 5. act 44. The chiefest office of Christian Magistrates The learned disc pag. 145. Bridges Our Br conclusion better then all their premisses The doubtfull reâ—â—â—eaâ—e of our Bâ—eâ—hrens speeches Our Bre. our graunt to the priâ—ce Princes the meanes to sâ—luatioâ— 1. Sam. 2 30â— The pitch of the controuersie betweene vs concerning this question Thâ— difference betweene vs. How the Prince is a nurse Our Brethrens similitude of a nurse against them The learned disc pag. 145. The Epilogue of this learned disc Bridges Our Brethrens Epilogue of this learned discourse Our Brethrens perswasion that this their forme is agreeable to Gods word We depend not on our Brethrens perswasion but on their proues Our Brethrens perswasion of our Bishops and most of the Clergie Our Br. perswasion of this forme Our bre their selues not perswaded of this forme but dissenting froÌ„ it Our bre condemning all ministers disagreeing from them to be vnfaithfull Our bre begin to shrinke in their perswasion agreeable form â—o gods word Agreeabl or disagreeable to gods word What our Br. say they are able to prooue consenting with the example of the primitiue church What they meane by the primitiue Church Euery exaÌ„ple neither inferreth a rule nor generall practise Our Br. warie speeches Why our Br. doe thus now in the end restrayne their speeches Agreeable and consenting are not the same Our Br. dissent and disagreeablenes Our Br. forme not coÌ„senting with the Primitiue church Our Brethren can shewe no example in the Primi Church for the most of their chiefest positions Our Bretheren say they are able to proue it It had bin better if thei could haue sayd they haue proued it Our Br. abilitie of proofe A token of grace not to boast they haue done that they haue not done How our Brethren haue builded on the foundation of the Scripture Our Bre. promise to set forth the auncient Fathers of these things What our Bretheren haue performed What our Br. shall do if they shall truly performe this promise Doctors Bishops and Pastors Consistorie of Elders Math. 18. Deacons The godly fathers agaynst our Bretheren in all these things The learned disc pag. 146. Our Br. protestation Our Br. protestation of the causes of this learned discourse Bridges The maner of our Br. protestation Our Br. protesting for all the faitâ—full ministers Diuers of our bretheren misliking these desiâ—es in whose names this protestation is made The varietie vncerteyntie of our br desires A more warie protestation had bin better Why our br conclude with so solemne a protestation What our Br. seeke They protest that they seeke not their own profite c. Our br seeke rather their owne and others hurt Our br are instruments to other Our Br. wrong seeking of Gods glorie his Churches profite How Gods glorie truth is defaced hereby How the Church is hindered by this our br seeking Psal. 124. True way of reformation How our Br. should indeed seeke Gods glorie and the Churches profite Psal. 126. The true way of reformation Our Br. maner of putting their forme in writing is not the tâ—ue way of reformatioÌ„ Discharge of conscience The discharge of conscience or rather charge thereof Seeking meanes that this form may take place The moouing them that be in authoritie to put it in practise Daungerous meanes Offring vp bookes to the Parliament Good successe Oâ—r Brethrens offring vp their Pamphlets euery ParliameÌ„t do therein coÌ„trary to their own principles The Parliament about these matters Our Brethrens words pa. 117. agaynst the Parliament all that are no Pastors How the Parliament may râ—iect all their Pamphlets The Parliament not without the Prince These matters to be rather debated in the Conuocation than in the Paâ—liament Clergie men to determine Clergie matters The Parliaments determining without the Prince These matters alreadie determined and by the ParliameÌ„t ratified Ours and our brthrens disputation Our readines to approue these matters being ordâ—â—lie called thereto neuer so often The euent of all disputation which our brethren refâ—se except their selues be dâ—â—â—â—miners of these matters The 〈…〉 shoâ—ld take place Our br desire of this or the like The learned disc pag. 147. Bridges The cause why this desired forme is not to be receaued The vttermost of their desires Our brethrens conclusion of their desires that either this or the like forme should be receaued If it suffise to receaue the like then there is no necessitie of this forme What is ment by the like forme It is not hurtfull that all churches forms of gouernment be not like In substance of doctrine they must bee all one The seeing iudging the vttermost of our br desires Aduersaries of Gods truth Our brethrens grecuous slandering of their brethren to be the aduersaries of Gods truth This learned discourse begun continued and concluded in foule language Our answer to this foule sclander 10.8 How manie besides vs this sclander toucheth Hinderance of our br proceedings Who are the aduersaries of Gods truth Our hinderaÌ„ce of our br proceedings in this forme What dâ—formed confusion among vs this forme of reformation would breede Deformed refomation The French and Belgike churches Deut. 22.10 Our bretherens publike testimoniall Our brethrens pretense onlie tâ— cleere themselue from sclander Our brethrens publike testimoniall The disagreement of our br testimonials Our brethrens intendment for the posteritie Knowledg and sestification of the truth The posteritie can knowe no certain true forme by this Learned Discourse An vncertaine conclusion The vncertaine conclusion of al our Brethr. desires Our Brethr. disordred speeches against our forme of Ecclesiastical gouern Disorder a speeches Abuses disordering good forms and orders Our Brethr. forme not grounded on Gods worde Reasons taken out of Poperie Our Brethr. receiuing from the Papistes their popish arguments for their Pastors gouernmeÌ„t Example of contradiction How our Brethren would noâ—sle vp their children in contradiction Our Brethrens accusation of our godly fathers Our Brethr. accusation of their godly fathers Our godly fathers neglect of this forme and of noâ—sling vp their childreÌ„ in these contradictions Our fathers â—eglect of this â—oâ—me Our Brethr. preiudice by their godly fathers neglect Our Brethr. conclusion with prayer Pag. 212. Pag. 700. Pag. 747. Pag. 844.
compassion they shewed that they were liuely members of the bodie of Christ and auoyded great reproch of them that were without For what shame is it for them that professe to be all Sonnes of one Father and therefore all brethren yea they that be members of one body to suffer theyr brethren and fellow members to lacke necessaries to susteyne theyr temporall life as though they that communicated in all spirituall graces and blessings were not woorthie to take part of these worldlie benefytes at least-wise so farre-foorth as to supplie theyr necessities Therefore our Sauiour Christ alwayes commendeth brotherly loue among his Disciples to teach vs how readie we ought to be to distribute vnto the necessities of our brethren which is a true testimonie of our loue declared by his owne example For although he were so poore that hee lyued of the almes and liberalitie of other men yet of that which was more than serued hys owne necessitie hee vsed to bestowe vppon the poore as Iohn 13.29 to teach them whome he hath blessed with temporall riches which he refused to enrich vs with heauenly treasures that they of theyr superfluitie would be content to giue to the reliefe of theyr poore brethren which he did not neglect in his extreame pouertie to teach also them that haue but meane substance that they ought not to be excused but somewhat to contribute vnto the necessitie of theyr poore brethren when he that had nothing at all but that which was giuen euen of that bestowed part WE are now entring into the last office of this our learned brethrens Ecclesiasticall Tetrarchie that is to wit of theyr Deacons with the Discourse of whome beginning to procéede they first make an exhortatorie preamble and with milder words than they left off the treatie of their Gouernors more charitably falling to persuasion to tender and reléeue the poore to the which we may the rather be moued by them sith of all this that is héere set downe there is nothing betwéene vs litigious that might stay vs except we should by the way inquire what Elders héere they meane ioyning in authoritie with the Pastor both in the name of Elder as we haue séene especially by Hyperius and Beza besides Ambrose among the auncient Fathers and also ioyning in assistence as néede or occasion requireth with the Pastors As for these gouerning Ecclesiasticall Elders that are neither teachers nor Deacons our Brethren haue not yet in the proper discourse of them sufficiently proued them as I take it But if they meane such Elders as they tearme Gouernors It makes me somewhat muse at the order of this their Learned Discourse that beginning to enter into the treatie of the Deacons they promise to returne to the authoritie of the Pastor which he hath ioyned with the Elders of the Church whereof he is a Pastor Which returne being héere thus promised notwithstanding they suddenly make a stoppe and leauing that matter they turne another way And the more to stirre vp mens charitie and compassion to reléeue the poore they shew what great care the Church hath alwayes had for their prouision with very good perswasions arguments and examples which I greatly commend in them and wish oâ—â—â—s and all men to be accordingly considered and such as are godly are so affected to theyr poore Brethren and to their habilities do so reléeue them and there are also verie good exhortations and prouisions by the lawes alreadie prouided for this purpose Wherevnto the example I graunt of Christ ought most especially to moue vs although I dare not say as héere they do he had nothing at all but that was giuen and that he liued of the almes and liberalitie of other men but vpon that I will moue no controuersie Héerevpon they now descend tó the originall institution of the Deacons Therefore the Apostles in the Primitiue Church thought it to be expedient for the better prouiding of the poore that certayne men should be appoynted of approued godlinesse and diligence which should take the special charge of the distribution vnto the poore Acts 6. These men were called Deacons or Ministers bycause they did minister and serue the poore in their necessities and bycause the oâ—â—â—sion of the ordinance continueth alwayes as our Sauiour Christ hath saide we should alwayes haue the poore amongst vs Iohn 12.8 whereby God would exercise our charitie The office of Deacons also is perpetuall therefore the Apostle S. Paule prescribeth what kinde of men are meete for that office 1. Tim. 3.8 and in euery well constituted Church they were ordeyned accordingly as Philip. 1.1 True it is that the Apostles in the Primitiue Church thought it to be expedient for the better prouiding of the poore that such approoued men should be appointed to take the spirituall charge of the distribution vnto them and that these men for this kinde of ministerie were thereupon called Deacons All this gladly I confesse but when they conclude héereon that bycause the occasion of this order continueth alwayes as our Sauiour Christ said we should alwayes haue the poore amongst vs whereby God would exercise our charitie that therefore the office of the Deacons is perpetuall meaning this office to distribute vnto the poore in such manner as the Apostles appointed those Deacons to do that argument of Danaeus from whome I thinke they haue it followeth not bycause the hauing of the poore alwayes nor the exercise of our charitie towards them was not the only nor the chiefest occasion of the orginall institution of those Deacons But the chiefe occasion was this that whereas the Christians then at Ierusalem in that time of the Primitiue Church hauing all or the most of them sold their lands or houses and giuen them in common to be distributed proportionably for the greater reliefe of the poore and néedie among them bycause the Apostles at whose feete they layd downe the prices of them could not so well attend to the equall distribution being so exercised in the ministerie of the word to teach and confirme the people that dayly more and more increased whereby the widdowes of the Grecians murmured that they were neglected in the dayly ministring vpon this occasion saith S. Luke Acts. 6.1 the twelue called the multitude of the Disciples together and said it is not meete that we should leaue the word of God to minister vnto the tables wherefore Breethren looke yee out among you seuen men of honest report and full of the holy Ghost and of wisedome which we may appoint to this businesse and we will giue our selues continually to prayer and to the ministration of the word So that this occasion perpetually continuing this office also of the Deacons is perpetuall but this occasion continuing not the Christians afterwards reteyning the property of their lands and houses and the poorâ— béeing by other godly meanes prouided for this office of Deaconship signifying a